Kendrys Morales Rodríguez (born June 20, 1983) is a Cuban-Dominican former
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 ...
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
and
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
who played in
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) for the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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 ...
,
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) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
,
Minnesota Twins,
Kansas City Royals,
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 ...
,
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
, and the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
. He also played
right field during his MLB career.
Morales is perhaps most infamous for suffering an ankle injury on May 29, 2010, during a celebration of his
walk-off grand slam, which kept him out of Major League Baseball for nearly two years. In 2015 as a member of the Royals, Morales won a
Silver Slugger Award
The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball.
These voters co ...
and was a member of the Royals'
2015 World Series championship team.
Cuban career
Morales played 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 ...
's equivalent of the North American
Triple-A level. With 16- to 17-year-olds in the category, he was the first
starter of the pitching staff, and fourth in the batting order, and had the ability to hit
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 from both sides of the plate.
Morales joined the Cuban national baseball team in 2002 and immediately became a star player—despite being the first teenager to make the team in nearly 20 years. He was the
cleanup hitter
In baseball, a cleanup hitter is the fourth hitter in the batting order. The cleanup hitter is traditionally the team's most powerful hitter. His job is to "clean up the bases", i.e., drive in base runners.
Theory
The thinking behind the us ...
on the team during its dramatic 2003
World Cup
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...
championship. His
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 ...
in the final round against
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
secured a 6–3 Cuban victory, one game after hitting a home run that provided the winning runs against
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
.
In his first—of two and a half—full season with
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. 's
Industriales
Industriales is a baseball team in the Cuban National Series. Located in Cerro, La Habana, it is known as the only team representing the country’s capital, Havana. Industriales is historically the most successful team in the National Series, a ...
of 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. ...
, in 2002, Morales had a
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 ...
of .324 with 21 home runs and 82
RBI, and pitched in a game during the regular season, setting seven rookie records in the process (including HR and RBI); and obviously becoming Rookie of the Year, being considered the best rookie in the history of Cuban baseball. In his second season, he suffered an injury and did not hit as many home runs as in his rookie season, but he finished with a .391 batting average.
Morales' stardom in Cuba was short-lived, however. He was sent back to Cuba from
Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...
during the
Olympic
Olympic or Olympics may refer to
Sports
Competitions
* Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896
** Summer Olympic Games
** Winter Olympic Games
* Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...
qualifying round in November 2003 for making contact with an agent. It was the last time he would suit up as a Cuban.
Moving to the United States
By early 2004, Cuba's national team and the Industriales banned Morales from their teams for disciplinary reasons due to their belief that he had met with people in an attempt to flee the nation. Morales denies this accusation, telling a reporter "That's not true. I never talked to any agent. But from that moment on, I just wanted to leave. I tried to do it several times without success, occasionally ending up in jail." He escaped on a raft in June 2004 to the shores of southern
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, his eighth attempt at escape.
But, as is the usual practice of defectors, he chose to leave the country to establish foreign residency so as to avoid the
MLB draft
The first-year player draft is the primary mechanism of Major League Baseball (MLB) for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs to its teams. The draft order is determined based on a lo ...
. He left once again, this time to the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
, where he was privately scouted by several Major League teams.
Preston Gómez
Preston Gómez (April 20, 1923 – January 13, 2009) was a Cuban-born infielder, manager, coach and front-office official in Major League Baseball best known for managing three major league clubs: the San Diego Padres (1969–72), Houston Astros ( ...
, in his role as consultant to Angels general manager
Bill Stoneman
William Hambly Stoneman III (born April 7, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player and executive who, during his eight-year (–) pitching career in Major League Baseball, threw two no-hitters; then, as general manager of the Ana ...
, ended up signing him to a six-year deal worth US$3 million up front in December 2004. Morales played winter ball for the
Estrellas Orientales
Estrellas Orientales (English: Eastern Stars), also known as Estrellas de Oriente, is a baseball team in the Dominican Winter League. Based in San Pedro de Macorís, the team has historically struggled, winning championships only in 1936, 1954, 19 ...
Dominican team to keep himself in game shape.
Professional career
Minor league career
By the spring of 2005, the Angels hoped to have Morales practice in the
Cactus League
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives establi ...
to get ready for a quick ascension through their farm system or possibly even make the team as the
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
. Because he was not yet a citizen, the Dominican government held up granting Morales the necessary
passport to fly back to the U.S. for several months. He was not able to get all his paperwork in order until late May and he finally made his minor league debut on May 21 for the Single-A
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. After three weeks (his batting average was .344, with five home runs), he was moved up to Double-A
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
, where he was second on the team in home runs despite playing there for only half the season. When that season ended, he was chosen by the Angels to play for the
Surprise Scorpions
The Scottsdale Scorpions are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Scottsdale, Arizona, at Scottsdale Stadium, which is also the spring training facility of the San Francisco Gi ...
of 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 ...
.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Morales had a strong
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
in 2006 for the Angels, but failed to make the
25-man roster.
He ultimately made his Major League debut on May 23, 2006, playing first base and going 3-for-5, including a home run in his second
at bat, versus the
Texas Rangers. Thereafter he performed well enough to be the Angels' regular first baseman until his eventual demotion back to Triple-A on July 23, 2006.
2009 season
Morales enjoyed a breakout year in his first full season. He hit 34 home runs and slugged .569, ranking second in the AL, behind eventual AL MVP
Joe Mauer
Joseph Patrick Mauer (born April 19, 1983) is an American former professional baseball catcher and first baseman, who spent his entire 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Minnesota Twins. A six-time All-Star, Mauer is the only c ...
.
Morales was promoted to starting first baseman after
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira ( ; born April 11, 1980), nicknamed "Tex", is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels of Anahei ...
(the Angels' first baseman for the 2008 season) left the Angels as a free agent in the winter of 2008. Morales said of the timing of his promotion, "The guys that played ahead of me were seasoned players, and I didn't deserve to play in the big leagues yet. The one thing I thought about -- not how long I had to wait -- was just to concentrate on playing well once that opportunity came."
He hit well in the first half, and hit extremely well in the second half of 2009, and was named AL Player of the Month in August when he drove in 33 runs in 28 games with 10 homers, batting .385 and slugging .734. His performance led to talk of him being a possible American League MVP, eventually placing 5th in MVP voting behind Mauer, Teixeira,
Derek Jeter, and
Miguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres (born April 18, 1983), nicknamed "Miggy", is a Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Since his debut in 2003 he has been a two-t ...
.
2010 season
Morales hit a
walk-off grand slam off
Brandon League
Brandon Paul League (born March 16, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. League has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He is a former closer and one-t ...
to end a 10-inning 5–1 victory over 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) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
at
Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Angel Stadium of Anaheim is a baseball stadium located in Anaheim, California. Since its opening in 1966, it has served as the home ballpark of the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB), and was also the home stadium to the Los Ange ...
on May 29, 2010. Approaching his celebrating teammates, he jumped up with the intention of stomping on home plate instead of simply stepping on it. His awkward landing resulted in a fracture in his lower left leg, placing him immediately on the
disabled list. The injury required surgery, and he missed the rest of the 2010 season. In 51 games in the 2010 season, Morales hit .290 with 11 home runs and 39 RBIs.
2011 season
On May 11, 2011, it was announced that Morales, still sidelined by his injured ankle from 2010, would miss the whole 2011 season due to complications in his rehabilitation from surgery on the ankle.
2012 season
On March 22, 2012, nearly two years after his ankle injury, Morales returned to the lineup in a spring training game against the
Kansas City Royals. On April 16, he hit his first home run since his 2010 injury.
On July 30, 2012, Morales hit two home runs in the same inning (once left handed and the other right handed). He became only the third player in MLB history to homer both left and right in the same inning. He finished the 2012 season with a .273 batting average, 22 home runs, and 73 RBI.
Seattle Mariners
![Kendrys Morales on August 4, 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Kendrys_Morales_on_August_4%2C_2013.jpg)
On December 19, 2012, the Angels traded Morales to 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) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
for pitcher
Jason Vargas
Jason Matthew Vargas (born February 2, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals, New York Mets and Ph ...
.
On June 23, 2013, Morales hit a first-pitch three-run home run in the 10th inning against the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
after subbing for
Brendan Ryan, leading to a 6–3
Mariners win at
Safeco Field
T-Mobile Park is a retractable roof stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners and has a seating capacity of 47,929. It is in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood, near the western ...
. After rounding the bases, he gently stepped on home plate. On July 2, 2013, he hit two home runs and had 6 RBIs in a 9–2 win over the division-leading Texas Rangers. On August 26, 2013, Morales was claimed off waivers by an unknown team; however, he was not traded within 48 hours of the waiver claim, meaning the Mariners pulled him back from waivers.
On September 4, Morales hit a walk-off two-run homer off the
Kansas City Royals to win the game 6–4 in the ninth inning. It was the only game the Mariners won during the four-game series.
Minnesota Twins
The Mariners made Morales a
qualifying offer
A restricted free agent (RFA) is a type of free agent in the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), or National Basketball Association (NBA). Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain ...
after the 2013 season, which he rejected. He remained unsigned as of Opening Day. On June 8, 2014, Morales agreed to terms with the
Minnesota Twins on a one-year contract and a prorated portion of $12 million, worth approximately $7.4 million.
Return to Seattle Mariners
On July 24, 2014, Morales was traded to 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) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
in exchange for pitcher
Stephen Pryor.
Kansas City Royals
In December 2014, Morales signed a two-year, $17 million contract with the
Kansas City Royals.
![Kendrys Morales on November 1, 2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Kendrys_Morales_on_November_1%2C_2015.jpg)
Morales finished the
2015 season with 106
RBIs
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 bat ...
, his highest since his 2009 season with the
Angels
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles incl ...
.
On September 20, 2015, Morales hit three home runs (which tied a Royals record), and had 15 total bases (which set a Royals record) in a 10–3 Royals win over the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
. He was just the third player to homer three times at Comerica park, despite driving in just three runs on the day. He went 4–4 with 3 homers, a triple, and a walk. On October 14, in the winner-take-all game 5 of the
American League Divisional Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring ea ...
against the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
, Morales hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to secure a 7–2 Royals win.
Hitting .295 with 22 home runs, 106 RBIs, and 39 doubles, while seeing the lowest percentage of fastballs of all MLB hitters (47.8%), Morales was named the recipient of the 2015
Edgar Martínez Award
The Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, commonly referred to as the Edgar Martínez Award and originally known as the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, has been presented annually to the most outstanding designated hitter (DH) ...
, an honor presented annually to the most outstanding designated hitter in the American League.
After coming of his great 2015 campaign, Morales struggled at the start of 2016. Before June, he had a .193 average; after getting a 4-game break to regather himself mentally, Morales finished June with a .262 average and was the Royals' home run leader on the season. On November 4, Morales declined his option with the Royals and became a free agent.
Toronto Blue Jays
![Kendrys Morales in 2017 (36148062894)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Kendrys_Morales_in_2017_%2836148062894%29.jpg)
On November 11, 2016, Morales agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract with 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 ...
. The contract became official on November 18. On August 31, 2017, Morales became the first player in Blue Jays franchise history to have 4 hits, 3 home runs, and 7 RBIs in the same game when he did so in an 11–8 win against the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
. Morales made his major league debut as a pitcher on May 20, 2018, and pitched a hitless ninth inning for the Blue Jays in a 9–2 loss to the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
. On July 8, 2018, Morales hit his 200th career home run off
Domingo Germán
Domingo Germán Polanco (; born August 4, 1992) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Germán was signed by the Florida Marlins as an international free agent in 2009. He made his ...
of the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
. Starting on August 19, Morales hit a home run and continued a seven-game home run hit streak ending on August 26 to record the longest such streak in Blue Jays franchise history, and became the seventh person in MLB history to accomplish the feat. His accomplishments during the week of August 20–26 earned him the
AL Player of the Week
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the Player of the Week Award is given weekly during the regular season to two outstanding players, one each in the National League (NL) and American League (AL). The NL first awarded the honor during the season, an ...
award.
Oakland Athletics
On March 27, 2019, the Blue Jays traded Morales and cash considerations to the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
for minor league infielder Jesus Lopez and international bonus money. On May 13, he was designated for assignment.
New York Yankees
On May 14, 2019, the Athletics traded Morales to the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
for cash considerations or a player to be named later.
On June 25, 2019, the Yankees designated Morales for assignment. Morales was released on July 2.
Retirement
Morales announced his retirement from baseball on February 7, 2020 after 13 MLB seasons.
Personal life
Morales and his wife, Yarley, have three children: Hanely, Kendrys Jr. and Andrea. Until March 2011, he was professionally known as Kendry Morales due to a typographical error.
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 ...
References
External links
Minor League Splits and Situational Stats*
:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morales, Kendrys
1983 births
Arizona League Angels players
Arkansas Travelers players
Defecting Cuban baseball players
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Canada
Gigantes del Cibao players
Industriales de La Habana players
Kansas City Royals players
Living people
Los Angeles Angels players
Major League Baseball designated hitters
Major League Baseball first basemen
Major League Baseball players from Cuba
Cuban expatriate baseball players in the United States
Cuban expatriate baseball players in Canada
Minnesota Twins players
New York Yankees players
Oakland Athletics players
Pan American Games gold medalists for Cuba
Salt Lake Bees players
Seattle Mariners players
Silver Slugger Award winners
Surprise Scorpions players
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players
Toronto Blue Jays players
Pan American Games medalists in baseball
Baseball players at the 2003 Pan American Games
Medalists at the 2003 Pan American Games
People from Sancti Spíritus Province