Alex Guerrero | |
---|---|
Left fielder / Third baseman | |
Born: Las Tunas, Cuba | November 20, 1986|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
Professional debut | |
MLB: March 22, 2014, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
NPB: March 31, 2017, for the Chunichi Dragons | |
Last appearance | |
MLB: October 4, 2015, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
NPB: September 28, 2019, for the Yomiuri Giants | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .224 |
Home runs | 11 |
Runs batted in | 36 |
NPB statistics | |
Batting average | .258 |
Home runs | 71 |
Runs batted in | 180 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Alexander Guerrero Perez (born November 20,1986) is a Cuban-born former professional baseball left fielder and third baseman. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers of the Major League Baseball (MLB) and for the Chunichi Dragons and Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He defected from Cuba in 2013 to pursue a contract in MLB. He signed with the Dodgers and made his MLB debut in 2014. He played primarily shortstop in Cuba,but played third base and left field for the Dodgers,who released him in 2016.
As a member of Cuba's Las Tunas team in the Cuban National Series,Guerrero was named to the 2010–2011 All-Star team [1] as well as playing for the Cuba national baseball team at the 2012 Haarlem Baseball Week [2] and the 2011 World Port Tournament. [3] He was part of the initial roster for the 2013 World Baseball Classic [4] but did not make the final roster and reportedly sat out the regular season because he was upset at his snub. [5]
He defected from Cuba in 2013 and obtained residency in Haiti. [6] He began training in the Dominican Republic and on September 9,2013,it was reported that he had been cleared by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control to sign with U.S. teams. [7]
Guerrero was rumored to be signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers,with early reports putting his deal in the seven-year,$32 million area. However,his initial agents turned out to not be licensed and he switched to Scott Boras,who said the bidding was now wide open. [8] On October 21,2013,it was reported that Guerrero had reached a new agreement with the Dodgers,that would be worth $28 million over 4 years. [9] The deal included a $10 million signing bonus and allows him to become a free agent after his age 30 season. The Dodgers officially announced his signing on October 22. [10]
Guerrero made his professional debut with the Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter League. [11] However,he dealt with hamstring issues and was limited to only 12 games,during which he hit .289. [12]
Guerrero made the Dodgers' 25-man opening day roster for the 2014 season. [13] He made his MLB debut as a pinch hitter on March 22,2014 against the Arizona Diamondbacks,but when Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson countered by putting in a right-handed pitcher,Dodgers manager Don Mattingly sent in a left-hander to pinch hit for Guerrero. [14] Guerrero had his first official at-bat the next night,and struck out. After the two-game opening series in Sydney,Australia,Guerrero was optioned to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. [15]
During a game against the Salt Lake Bees on May 20,2014,Guerrero was involved in a dugout scuffle with Albuquerque teammate Miguel Olivo in which Olivo bit off a portion of Guerrero's ear. [16] He had to undergo a complicated plastic surgery operation to reattach the ear,necessitating several days in the hospital. [17] In 65 games for the Isotopes,he played 51 games at second base,9 in left field,4 at shortstop and 1 at third base. He hit .329 with 15 homers and 49 RBI. The Dodgers recalled him when rosters expanded on September 1. He recorded his first Major League hit with a single to left field off of Erik Cordier of the San Francisco Giants on September 13. [18] He appeared in 13 games with the Dodgers,primarily as a pinch hitter though he did play in left field for a few innings. He had just the one hit in 13 at-bats. [19]
In spring training,Guerrero made it clear he intended to exercise an unusual clause in his contract allowing him to refuse an assignment to the minor leagues. [20] As it happened,he hit so well during spring training that he convinced the Dodgers he belonged on their opening day roster,despite concerns about his defense. [21]
In his first start of the season,Guerrero had three hits in five at-bats. One of the hits was his first MLB home run,hit off Óliver Pérez of the Arizona Diamondbacks. [22]
After two weeks,Guerrero was hitting so well there was a clamor for him to become the regular third baseman,as incumbent Juan Uribe was getting off to a slow start. [23] [24] Uribe,however,picked up his production,and Guerrero continued to be used in a utility role,playing at third base and at left field and pinch hitting. [19] Despite not being a regular starter,Guerrero was named Rookie of the Month for April 2015,his first full month in the Major Leagues. He hit .423 with five homers and 13 RBI in only 13 games. [25]
On June 2,with the Dodgers trailing the Colorado Rockies by three runs and down to their last strike in the top of the 9th inning,Guerrero hit the first grand slam of his career just over the center field wall to drive in what would be the winning run for the Dodgers. [26]
His production tailed off down the stretch but he wound up playing in 117 games with 11 homers,36 RBI and a .224 batting average. [19]
Guerrero injured his knee in spring training in 2016,causing him to begin the season on the disabled list. [27] In a minor league rehab stint across three different levels in May,he played in 16 games and hit .136. [28] When he was ready to rejoin the team,there was no spot available on the active roster so Guerrero was designated for assignment by the Dodgers on May 31,2016 and removed from the 40-man roster. [29] The Dodgers released Guerrero on June 8. [30]
On November 26,2016,Guerrero signed with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball. [31] [32] Guerrero broke a Chunichi franchise record for most consecutive games with a home run,with 6,after he cleared the fence against the Rakuten Eagles on 3 June 2017. [33] He however fell short of equalling the NPB record of 7 consecutive games with a home run set by Randy Bass and Sadaharu Oh as he failed to register a hit in the final match of the series against the Eagles on 4 June. [34] Guerrero was selected for the 2017 Central League All-Star team by choice of the manager. [35] The Dragons released Guerrero on December 2. [36]
On December 17,2017,Guerrero signed with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for a two-year 800 million yen ($USD 7.3 million) deal. On December 2,2019,he became a free agent. [37]
In May 2021,Guerrero agreed to a deal with the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). However,shortly after signing,Taiwan was shut down due to a COVID-19 outbreak and Guerrero was unable to enter the country. When borders reopened,Guerrero opted-out of his contract with the team without having played in a game. [38]
Miguel Eduardo Olivo Peña is a Dominican former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2002 to 2014. He also played in the Mexican League from 2014 to 2017.
Kosuke Fukudome is a retired Japanese professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball from 2008 to 2012, primarily with the Chicago Cubs and had a long spanning career in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Chunichi Dragons and Hanshin Tigers.
Dayán Viciedo Pérez is a Cuban professional baseball infielder for the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox.
Clayton Edward Kershaw is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). A left-handed starting pitcher, Kershaw has spent his entire MLB career with the Dodgers since debuting in 2008. He is a ten-time All-Star, three-time National League (NL) Cy Young Award winner, the 2014 NL Most Valuable Player, and a World Series champion in 2020. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.
Carlos Manuel Triunfel Marquez is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers.
David Gregory Huff is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Leones de Yucatán of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Los Angeles Angels. Huff has also played in the KBO League for the LG Twins and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
Jordan Norberto Vallenilla is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Oakland Athletics, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chunichi Dragons and Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
Moisés Sierra is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, and Washington Nationals and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chunichi Dragons.
Zoilo Manuel Almonte is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, the KBO League for the KT Wiz, and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chunichi Dragons.
Alejandro Luis Castellanos is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants.
James Robert Romak is a Canadian former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, and the KBO League for the SK Wyverns/SSG Landers. Romak has also competed for the Canadian national baseball team.
Elián Herrera Dominguez is a Dominican former professional baseball utility player. Herrera played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB), and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball. He played second base, third base, shortstop and all three outfield positions in his career.
Yasiel Puig Valdés is a Cuban-born American professional baseball right fielder for El Águila de Veracruz of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Indians. He has also played in the KBO League for the Kiwoom Heroes and in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. His nickname is "The Wild Horse", given to him by former longtime Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully.
Corey Drew Seager is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is often regarded as one of the best shortstops of his generation.
Onelki García is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher for the Charros de Jalisco of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chunichi Dragons and Hanshin Tigers.
Scott Anthony Schebler is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, and Los Angeles Angels.
The 2014 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 125th for the franchise in Major League Baseball, and their 57th season in Los Angeles. On April 30, the Dodgers picked up their 10,000th win since joining the National League in 1890. They proceeded to win their second straight National League West championship but lost in four games to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS.
Bárbaro Erisbel Arruebarrena Escalante is a Cuban professional baseball shortstop for the Algodoneros de Guasave of the Mexican Pacific League and the Cocodrilos de Matanzas of the Cuban National Series. Arruebarrena played for Cienfuegos in the Cuban National Series from 2008 through 2012, and played for the Cuba national baseball team in international competition, before defecting from Cuba in 2013 to pursue a Major League Baseball career. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014 before a poor attitude and various violations of team rules led to his banishment to the low minors and eventual release. In 2019, he became the first ex-MLB player to return to the Cuban baseball league system after defecting from the country. He now plays for the Cocodrilos de Matanzas of the Cuban National Series, as well as the Cuba national baseball team.
O'Koyea Dickson is an American professional former baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2017 season, and the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in 2018.
James Kyle Farmer is an American professional baseball infielder for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds.