Aledmys Díaz Serrano (born August 1, 1990) is a
Cuban
Cuban may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Cuba, a country in the Caribbean
* Cubans, people from Cuba, or of Cuban descent
** Cuban exile, a person who left Cuba for political reasons, or a descendant thereof
* Cuban citizen, a perso ...
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professional ...
utility player for the
Oakland Athletics of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
,
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
and
Houston Astros. He played for the
Naranjas de Villa Clara
The Azucareros de Villa Clara (Villa Clara Sugarmakers) is a baseball club that plays in the Cuban National Series.
Based in Santa Clara, the Naranjas have been one of the league's most successful Cuban squads over the last 30 years; winning ...
in the
Cuban National Series
The Cuban National Series (, SNB) is the primary domestic professional baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the Series is a part of the Cuban baseball league system. ...
from 2007 through 2012, before
defecting to the United States. Díaz signed with the Cardinals in 2014, and made his MLB debut with them in 2016.
From
Santa Clara, Cuba
Santa Clara is the capital city of the Cuban province of Villa Clara. It is centrally located in the province and Cuba. Santa Clara is the fifth-most populous Cuban city, with a population of nearly 250,000.
History
Santa Clara was founde ...
, Díaz' career accomplishments in the Cuban National Series include a .307
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
, .397
on-base percentage (OBP), and .439
slugging percentage over 342 games. He defected from Cuba and signed with the Cardinals
As a rookie in MLB, he became the first player in history to sustain a .500 batting average after 50
at bats, and was named an
All-Star for the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
team. After losing his starting job in 2017, he spent the 2018 season with Toronto and was traded to Houston before the 2019 season. He won the
2022 World Series
The 2022 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2022 season. The 118th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Houston Astros and the National Le ...
with the Astros.
Early life
While growing up in
Santa Clara, Cuba
Santa Clara is the capital city of the Cuban province of Villa Clara. It is centrally located in the province and Cuba. Santa Clara is the fifth-most populous Cuban city, with a population of nearly 250,000.
History
Santa Clara was founde ...
, Díaz lived on the same street as, and was friends with, future
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB)
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
José Fernández. They played for the same youth baseball team, and Díaz' father and uncle encouraged Fernández' mother to bring him to the ballpark. Fernández commented that had Díaz' uncle not been an influence early in his life, he would not have pursued a
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professional ...
career.
Baseball career
Cuban National Series (2017–2012)
Díaz played in the ''Serie Nacional de Béisbol'' (
Cuban National Series
The Cuban National Series (, SNB) is the primary domestic professional baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the Series is a part of the Cuban baseball league system. ...
), the primary amateur
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
competition in
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, for the
Naranjas de Villa Clara
The Azucareros de Villa Clara (Villa Clara Sugarmakers) is a baseball club that plays in the Cuban National Series.
Based in Santa Clara, the Naranjas have been one of the league's most successful Cuban squads over the last 30 years; winning ...
, based in Santa Clara. He debuted in the 2007–08 season by going nine for 32 in a
utility role. At age 19 in 2008–09, Díaz
batted .301 with a .403
on-base percentage (OBP) and .482
slugging percentage (SLG) but
fielded only .930 as a regular infielder. He was third in the ''Serie Nacional'' with 24 errors.
The next season, Díaz batted .282 with a .348 OBP, .363 SLG and fielded .950 as Villa Clara's starting shortstop. He tied for fifth in the Serie Nacional with 18 errors, having improved his defense. During his 2011–12 season, Díaz' offensive production continued to climb, as he batted .315 with a .404 OBP and .500 SLG. He hit 12
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s in 270
at bats.
From 2008 to 2012, Díaz, batted .308 with a .401 OBP and .444 SLG.
[
In his Cuban National Series career, Díaz totaled 342 games, batting .307, .397 OBP, .439 SLG, 193 runs scored, 54 doubles, 27 home runs and 165 ]runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the ba ...
(RBI) in 1125 at bats. He defected
In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state in exchange for allegiance to another, changing sides in a way which is considered illegitimate by the first state. More broadly, defection involves abandoning a person, ca ...
from Cuba in 2012 while playing with the Cuban national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team (Spanish: ''Selección de béisbol de Cuba'') represents Cuba at regional and international levels. The team is made up from the most professional players from the Cuban national baseball system. Cuba has been des ...
in a tournament in the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. He was declared ineligible to sign with any MLB teams until February 19, 2014, due to lying about his age. He spent the interim 18 months from defecting from Cuba playing in Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...
.
Minor leagues (2014–2015)
To audition for a contract with MLB clubs, Díaz held a showcase with fellow Cuban defector Odrisamer Despaigne
Odrisamer Despaigne Orue ( ; born April 4, 1987) is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher for the Mariachis de Guadalajara of the Mexican League. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, Miami Ma ...
on February 13, 2014.[ Although Díaz was initially projected to command a major league contract with a similar level of pay to other Cuban defectors such as Alex Guerrero and Erisbel Arruebarrena, his performance in the showcase did not leave the impression that he merited such a level of salary, and, further, many clubs passed on him altogether. He had left Mexico City effectively out of shape to play professional baseball.][ He signed a four-year contract with the ]St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
worth $8 million on March 9.
The Cardinals first assigned Díaz to the Palm Beach Cardinals
The Palm Beach Cardinals are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They are located in the town of Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida, and play their home games at Rog ...
of the Class A-Advanced
High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
Florida State League in 2014, and he was promoted to the Springfield Cardinals
The Springfield Cardinals are a Minor League Baseball team based in Springfield, Missouri. They compete as a member of the Texas League's North Division. The Cardinals began play in 2005.
The team is owned by the 11-time Major League Baseball ...
of the Class AA
Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League ...
Texas League
The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
that season. In 47 games between both teams, he batted .273/.324/.441 with five home runs, 24 RBIs, and seven stolen bases. In 2015, while playing for Springfield, he battled injuries before he was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
on July 8, 2015. While he had benefited from talent alone while playing in Cuba, his lack of preparation had caused his performance to suffer after playing the minor leagues. However, he diligently began to prepare more and proactively ask more questions.
In the last 45 games of the 2015 season after his removal from the 40-man roster
A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, an ...
, Díaz batted .333 with a .404 OBP and a .574 SLG. The Cardinals reinstated him to the 40-man roster after the season.[ Over the full 2015 campaign, Díaz batted .278/.339/.445 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs over 116 total games between Springfield and the ]Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They are located in Memphis, Tennessee, and are named for their Major League Baseball affiliate. The Redbir ...
of the Class AAA
Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL). ...
Pacific Coast League. He batted .239 against right-handed pitchers, .371 against left-handers, .329 in road games and .222 in home games. He played in the Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fille ...
following the regular season, registering a .616 SLG and .987 OPS.
St. Louis Cardinals (2016–2017)
All-Star rookie (2016)
Originally planning for Díaz to spend the 2016 season in Memphis, the Cardinals eventually moved three veteran players to accommodate him becoming the starting shortstop. On April 5, 2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...
, the Cardinals recalled him to the major league roster to take the place of outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to c ...
Tommy Pham
Thomas James Pham (born March 8, 1988) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, and Boston R ...
, who had departed on Opening Day two days earlier with an injury. Díaz debuted on the same day as his call-up. In his first major league at bat in the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he singled off Jon Niese for his first hit in a 6–5 loss. Initially, Díaz' presence on the roster gave the Cardinals a capable hitter with upside who could play shortstop[ and fill a void until the return of Rubén Tejada, who had injured himself late in spring training. Tejada himself was a replacement signed as a free agent during spring training to replace the already-established starting shortstop ]Jhonny Peralta
Jhonny Antonio Peralta (born May 28, 1982) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). The Cleveland Indians signed him as an amateur free agent in his native D ...
, who also had injured himself and was projected to be unable to play significantly longer than Tejada.
On April 8, Díaz's first major league home run contributed to the Cardinals becoming the first team in major league history to hit three pinch hit
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead (not in active play); the manager may use any player who has not yet entered the game as a substitute. Unlike basketball, Americ ...
home runs in the same game. Jeremy Hazelbaker
Jeremy Philip Hazelbaker (born August 14, 1987) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks, and in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) fo ...
and Greg Garcia were the other pinch hitters as the Cardinals defeated the Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bos ...
, 7–4. The previous record of two pinch hit home runs by the same team in one game was previously accomplished on 57 occasions, most recently in 2011. Tejada was reinstated from the disabled list on April 18, However, Díaz' hitting had led the Cardinals to instead retain him as the starting shortstop, thus assigning Tejada to be a utility infielder.
In an 11–2 win over the San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
on April 23, Díaz garnered his first five-hit game. After collecting two hits in his first two at bats in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The ...
on April 25 to give him 26 hits in 52 at bats, he became the first rookie in MLB since 1900 to carry at least a .500 batting average at any point after accumulating 50 at bats, per the Elias Sports Bureau The Elias Sports Bureau is a privately held company providing historical and current statistical information for the major professional sports leagues operating in the United States and Canada.
Elias is the official statistician for Major League Ba ...
. Meanwhile, past defensive liabilities reemerged: in Díaz' first 31 games of the season, he committed nine errors.[ However, he garnered early attention for the ]National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
(NL) Rookie of the Year Award; as of June 6, he was third in the NL in batting at .328 and had hit eight home runs with 30 RBIs.[ When Peralta returned from the disabled list on June 7, Díaz' sustained level of play convinced the Cardinals to displace Peralta to ]third base
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
and third baseman Matt Carpenter to second base.[
As the season progressed, Díaz' defense notably improved; in the remaining 51 games leading up to the All-Star break, he committed six errors.][ On July 7, he was selected to his first ]MLB All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
to replace Carpenter, who had been injured two days earlier. Díaz appeared as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded against Will Harris in the eighth inning, and struck out looking as the American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
defeated the National League, 4–2. On July 21 against Padres in a 5–5 game, Díaz batted against Carlos Villanueva with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning and, this time, singled home the game-winning run for his first career walk-off hit.
After sustaining a hairline fracture of his thumb during a game against Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, the Cardinals placed Díaz on the DL on August 1. He missed all of August and the first two weeks of September.
Díaz hit his first major league grand slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
on September 27, 2016, his first game back after the death of his childhood friend, José Fernández. Díaz was called back out for a curtain call, where he raised his helmet high towards the sky. He stated afterwards, "Every time I put on a uniform, I will think of him." Over his last 31 games of the season, he committed one error.[
Díaz batted .300 in 111 games in his rookie year, with 121 hits, 28 doubles, 17 home runs, 69 RBIs, a .369 OBP, and a .510 SLG. He played 106 games at shortstop and was fourth in the league in errors with 16. In the 2016 NL Rookie of the Year voting, he placed fifth.][
]
2017
On April 8, 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...
, Díaz hit two home runs for his first MLB multi-home run game, with one of those home runs sticking to the "G" letter of the Big Mac
The Big Mac is a hamburger sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's. It was introduced in the Greater Pittsburgh area in 1967 and across the United States in 1968. It is one of the company's flagship products and signat ...
Land sign at Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as "New Busch Stadium" or "Busch Stadium III") is a baseball stadium located in St. Louis, Missouri. The stadium serves as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, the city's Major League Baseball (M ...
. The Cardinals won 10–4 over the Cincinnati Reds. Diaz began the season with a .217 batting average, and improved in the month of May. The Cardinals optioned him to Memphis on June 28, after batting .260/.293/.396, seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 71 games. He eventually lost his role as the Cardinals' starting shortstop with the emergence of rookie Paul DeJong—who finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting—as a powerful batter and capable fielder. In the final game of the 2017 season, Díaz tore his hamstring.
Toronto Blue Jays (2018)
The Cardinals traded Díaz to the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
on December 1, 2017, for minor league outfielder J. B. Woodman. Díaz began the season as Toronto's starting shortstop with Troy Tulowitzki
Troy Trevor Tulowitzki (born October 10, 1984), nicknamed "Tulo", is an American retired professional baseball shortstop, who played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Colorado Rockies. He also played for the Toronto B ...
on the disabled list (DL). On May 8, Díaz was placed on the DL list with a left ankle sprain. To that point in the season, he had batted .216/.273/.431 with six home runs and 13 RBI over 110 plate appearances
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance (denoted by PA) each time he completes a turn batting. Under Rule 5.04(c) of the Official Baseball Rules, a player completes a turn batting when he is put out or becomes a runner ...
. He was activated on June 1. For the season, Díaz hit .263/.303/.453 with 18 home runs and 55 RBIs in 130 games.
Houston Astros (2019–2022)
2019–2021
On November 17, 2018, the Blue Jays traded Díaz to the Houston Astros in exchange for minor league pitcher Trent Thornton. During his tenure as an Astro, Díaz, who had mostly appeared at shortstop, became the team's utility player, and started at three new positions in the major leagues – second base, first base, and left field
In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering system ...
. In 2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, he batted .271/.356/.467 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 210 at bats.[
In ]2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
, he batted .241/.254/.483 with three home runs and six RBIs in 58 at bats.[
On June 6, ]2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
, Díaz suffered a fracture in his left hand on a hit by pitch delivered from Ross Stripling
Thomas Ross Stripling (born November 23, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays.
Stripling ...
in a game versus the Blue Jays. Díaz was expected to miss six to eight weeks. During the 2021 regular season, he batted .259/.317/.405 with eight home runs and 45 RBIs in 294 at bats.[ In ]World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
play on October 30, 2021, Díaz hit a single to right field to end the Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bos ...
' no-hit bid in the eighth inning of Game 3.
2022
Díaz avoided arbitration with the Astros on March 22, 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...
, agreeing to a $4.45 million contract for the season. On May 8, 2022, Díaz hit a grand slam versus the Detroit Tigers to lead a 5–0 Astros win. He started at third base and homered on June 4 to help lead a 10–3 win over the Kansas City Royals, and added two singles for his first three-hit game of the season. Díaz singled and scored in the ninth on July 12 versus the Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...
to catalyze a four run comeback after hitting an early two-run home run and walking twice. He homered twice on July 29 versus the Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
to help fuel an 11–1 rout. On August 6, Díaz started at shortstop versus Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, doubling twice and driving in one run. Díaz hit his second grand slam of the season versus Martín Pérez of the Texas Rangers on August 9, bringing the Astros back from a 4–0 deficit to result in a 7–5 win.
On August 16, Díaz exited a game versus the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
due to a groin injury, and was placed on the 10-day injured list the following day. He was activated on September 13.
In 2022 he batted .243/.287/.403 in 305 at bats with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs. He played 28 games in left field, 22 at second base, 18 at shortstop, 10 at third base, 7 at DH, 6 at first base, and one in right field. The Astros advanced to the World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
and defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to give Díaz his first career World Series title.
Following the World Series, Díaz became a free agent.
Oakland Athletics
On December 13, 2022, Díaz signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Athletics.
Personal life
Díaz and wife Dayara have one son, born August 5, 2016.[ They reside in ]West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. The populati ...
, in the offseason.
See also
* List of baseball players who defected from Cuba
This is a list of notable Cuban baseball players who have defected since the beginning of Fidel Castro's presidency. Prior to the Cuban Revolution, which saw Castro rise to power in 1959, Cuban-born players often played in the American Negro lea ...
* List of Major League Baseball players from Cuba
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diaz, Aledmys
1990 births
Living people
National League All-Stars
Defecting Cuban baseball players
Houston Astros players
Major League Baseball players from Cuba
Corpus Christi Hooks players
Cuban expatriate baseball players in Canada
Cuban expatriate baseball players in the United States
Major League Baseball shortstops
Memphis Redbirds players
Naranjas de Villa Clara players
New Hampshire Fisher Cats players
Palm Beach Cardinals players
People from Santa Clara, Cuba
Round Rock Express players
Springfield Cardinals players
St. Louis Cardinals players
Tomateros de Culiacán players
Cuban expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Toronto Blue Jays players
Florida Complex League Astros players