MLB 2022 | Luis Robert to avoid IL, Gurriel Jr. multi-hit game, Arozarena homers, and more

Daily Major League Baseball (MLB) Cuban Players News for the 2022 season. A compendium from several MLB sources.

Randy Arozarena. (Photo: Mike Carlson/GettyImages)

Aug 15, 2022

White Sox manager Tony La Russa confirmed Sunday that Luis Robert is still expected to avoid the injured list.

Robert missed the final two games over the weekend due to a sprained left wrist, but he's still considered day-to-day and is expected to return to the White Sox lineup early in the week. The 25-year-old outfielder has slashed a robust .301/.336/.454 with 12 long balls and 11 swipes through 354 plate appearances with the White Sox this season.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. went 3-for-4 with a run scored on Sunday in the Blue Jays' loss at the hands of the Guardians.

Gurriel Jr. singled and came around to score on Teoscar Hernández's RBI double in the opening frame and was the lone Blue Jays' batter to record multiple hits in the one-sided affair. The 28-year-old outfielder is hitting .308/.359/.419 with 48 runs scored, five homers, 45 RBI and three steals across 411 plate appearances.

Randy Arozarena clobbered a three-run homer on Sunday, leading the Rays to a 4-1 victory over the Orioles.

Arozarena kicked off the scoring with a towering three-run blast to left field against Orioles starter Jordan Lyles in the third inning and the Rays never looked back in this one. It was his third round-tripper in his last four contests. The 27-year-old outfielder has delivered this season for fantasy managers as a power/speed contributor, walloping 15 big flies and also swiping 21 bases in 108 games.

Orioles' Cionel Pérez: Remains in setup role. Pérez continues to operate as a setup man and has a win and two holds over 4.1 scoreless innings since Baltimore sent closer Jorge López to Minnesota at the trade deadline. Manager Brandon Hyde initially indicated Perez, Félix Bautista and Dillon Tate would be in the mix for save opportunities after López's departure, but it's Bautista who has received and successfully converted all three of the team's save chances since the trade. Overall Pérez has one save and 17 holds with a 1.12 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 40:15 K:BB across 40.1 innings this year, and he should continue to work in a setup role while Bautista remains effective and healthy.

Yankees' Aroldis Chapman: Surging while Holmes struggles. There had already been hints that Chapman could begin to see closing opportunities again -- he was slated to finish last Friday's game against the Cardinals before Holmes gave up the lead in the eighth inning -- and the continued struggles of the latter make that likelihood stronger. Boone implied that Holmes may have lost his grasp on the ninth-inning role following this Friday's loss, stating, "We'll see. I'm trying to get him in the best positions to be successful. Some nights it'll be the ninth, some nights it'll be having the full go with the pen. We'll keep working with him. Got to get him right and consistent." If Holmes is pulled from the role, Chapman is the most likely candidate to take over closing duties given his extensive history of success (he has 315 career saves) and his recent return to form (he's tossed eight consecutive scoreless innings, posting an 8:1 K:BB and allowing three hits over that stretch).

White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: Received Sunday off. Grandal was out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Tigers. Grandal started the past five games and will take a seat Sunday after going 5-for-16 with a home run, two RBI, two runs and four walks during that stretch. Seby Zavala will work behind the plate and bat eighth in the series finale versus Detroit.

Astros' Aledmys Díaz: Out of Sunday's lineup. Díaz was not in the lineup for Sunday's game against Oakland. Díaz has an .806 OPS in August but will sit for the second consecutive game Sunday. The 32-year-old may not be an everyday player down the stretch, but he should still see regular action, especially in left field, with Michael Brantley (shoulder) out for the season. Chas McCormick will start in left and bat seventh in the series finale versus the A's.

Astros' Yuli Gurriel: Took seat Sunday. Gurriel was out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics. Gurriel is 6-for-12 with a double, an RBI and four runs over the past three games but will head to the bench Sunday. Trey Mancini was at first base and batted sixth in the series finale versus Oakland.

José Barrero gets key hit as Reds stop slide with win over Cubs.

José Barrero hit a tiebreaking RBI single in Cincinnati's three-run fifth inning, and the Reds stopped a five-game slide with an 8-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. ''It meant a lot that I could contribute to the victory,'' Barrero said through an interpreter. ''I felt better today. I still have to work on a couple things. I'm working on cutting down on my swing and try to hit it up the middle.'' Barrero went 2-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI and a strikeout and also made a fielding error at short, his third of the year. The Cuban infielder is slashing .216/.216/.405 in only 10 games this year.

Nationals' Yadiel Hernández: Not in Sunday's lineup. Hernández was not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres, according to Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com. Hernández went yard in Saturday's contest, but he will get a day off after making six straight starts. Alex Call got to cover left field in Hernández's place.

Rockies' Jose Iglesias: Did not start Sunday. Iglesias was not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks. Iglesias went hitless over the last two games after going 27-for-65 (.415) over his previous 17 contests, so manager Bud Black decided it was time for a day off. Garrett Hampson started at shortstop in Iglesias' place.

Aug 14, 2022

Yadiel Hernández clobbered a two-run homer as the Nationals rallied to beat the Padres on Saturday evening in Washington.

Hernández finally got the Nationals on the board with his mammoth 402-foot shot off of Padres right-hander Yu Darvish in the sixth inning, pulling the Nationals to within a run at 3-2. He finished the night 1-for-3 and is now hitting .268/.312/.414 with nine homers and 40 RBI on the season.

Luis Robert (wrist) was held out of the White Sox starting lineup for Saturday's showdown against the Tigers.

The superstar center fielder suffered a sprained left wrist on a stolen base attempt during Friday's ballgame. The good news -- at least as of now -- is that he hasn't been placed on the injured list and should still be considered day-to-day. AJ Pollock is starting in his place in center field and batting leadoff against Matt Manning and the Tigers on Saturday evening in Chicago.

Braves' Raisel Iglesias: Tallies 17th save. Iglesias allowed a walk but retired the final two batters of the game to earn the save in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Marlins. Iglesias was called upon to protect a four-run lead with runners on first and second, which he did successfully to record his 17th save of the season and first since joining Atlanta. Kenley Jansen was unavailable after earning the save in the first game of the twin bill, and Kirby Yates allowed two of the first three batters he faced to reach base prior to giving way to Iglesias. Since July 14, Iglesias has turned in scoreless efforts in 10 of his 11 appearances. Overall, he has a 3.70 ERA with a 55:10 K:BB across 41.1 innings on the campaign.