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Adrián González Savín (born May 8, 1982), also known by his nicknames "A-Gon" and "Titán", is a Mexican-American former professional
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 ...
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 major ...
He 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 Texas Rangers,
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 penna ...
,
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eig ...
,
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brookly ...
, and
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major leagu ...
. González was born in the United States, but was raised in
Tijuana Tijuana ( ,"Tijuana"
(US) and
< ...
,
Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...
,
Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...
, until 1990, when he returned to the United States. He played for
Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...
in the 2006,
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
,
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment ...
, and the
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 ser ...
editions of the
World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major Leagu ...
and the
2020 Olympic Games The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...
. González was the first overall pick in the 2000 MLB draft by the
Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The fra ...
. He was traded to the Rangers, and made his MLB debut with them in 2004. He was traded to the Padres after the 2005 season, where he was an All-Star selection three times and a two-time
Gold Glove Award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
winner. He was traded to the Red Sox after the 2010 season, and was traded to the Dodgers in August 2012. After playing for the Dodgers throughout the 2017 season, he was traded to 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 B ...
, but was released without playing for them. He then played for the Mets, who released him during the 2018 season.


Early life

Adrián González was born in
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...
, California to David and Alba González, both Mexican natives. González is the youngest of three boys; his brothers are David Jr. and
Edgar Edgar is a commonly used English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name ''Eadgar'' (composed of '' ead'' "rich, prosperous" and '' gar'' "spear"). Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the later medieval period; it was, however, r ...
, a former big leaguer. After his birth, his parents moved the family to
Tijuana Tijuana ( ,"Tijuana"
(US) and
< ...
, where his father owned an air-conditioner business. The three boys grew up playing baseball in Mexico, where their father had been a member of the
Mexico national baseball team The Mexico national baseball team (Spanish: ''Selección de béisbol de México'') is the baseball team that represents Mexico in international tournaments. It is currently the 4th-ranked baseball team in the world. Roster Results and fixtures ...
. In 1990, the family returned to the United States, settling in
Bonita, California Bonita ( Spanish for "Beautiful") is a census-designated place (CDP) in southern San Diego County, California, nestled between the cities of Chula Vista, National City, and San Diego. The population was 12,538 at the 2010 census. Geography ...
. While Adrián was drafted by the
Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The fra ...
out of high school, his brother Edgar Gonzalez attended
San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) syste ...
and was selected by the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
in the 30th round of the 2000 draft. Edgar debuted in the major leagues as a utility man with 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 penna ...
in 2008, joining his brother as a teammate. In 2012, David and Alba González were named George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year. In November 2012, González was honored as one of 30 "exemplary citizens" by the mayor of Tijuana in an official ceremony. González was projected to be a late first-round pick out of Eastlake High School in
Chula Vista, California Chula Vista (; ) is the second-largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh largest city in Southern California, the fifteenth largest city in the state of California, and the 78th-largest city in the United States. The popul ...
; however, his stock increased with his senior-year performance. In his senior year, he hit .645 with 13 home runs and 34 runs batted in.


Professional career


Florida Marlins (2000–2003)

In June 2000, González became the first infield position player to be drafted first overall since
Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...
in 1993. He was given a $3 million signing bonus by the
Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The fra ...
. While in the Marlins organization, González played with the
Gulf Coast League Marlins The Florida Complex League Marlins are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Miami Marlins, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to the 2021 season, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Marlins. The team plays ...
,
Kane County Cougars The Kane County Cougars are an independent professional baseball team located in Geneva, Illinois and are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball (MLB). They play their h ...
, Utica Blue Sox,
Portland Sea Dogs The Portland Sea Dogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Portland, Maine, playing in the Eastern League. Established in 1994, the Sea Dogs are the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The Sea Dogs became part of the Red Sox syst ...
(2002),
Albuquerque Isotopes The Albuquerque Isotopes are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They play home games at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at an ...
(2003), and
Carolina Mudcats The Carolina Mudcats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Zebulon, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh, and play their home games at Five County Stadium. ...
(2003). With the Single-A Kane County Cougars in his second professional season, González hit .312 with 17 home runs and 103 RBIs in 127 games. As a result, he was selected by the
Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganiza ...
as its
Most Valuable Player In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
and
Prospect of the Year '' The Ring'' magazine was established in 1922 and has named a Prospect of the Year since 1983. The award is given to a boxer who has the most potential to become a future star in the sport, as based on the magazine's writers' criteria. In 1989 th ...
. He also played in the
All-Star Futures Game The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game hosted by Major League Baseball (MLB) in conjunction with the mid-summer MLB All-Star Game. A team of American League-affiliated prospects competes against a team of National Le ...
.


Texas Rangers (2004–2005)

After a wrist injury, the Marlins felt González would be hindered swinging the bat, so they included González in a June 2003 trade with the Texas Rangers, along with Ryan Snare and minor leaguer Will Smith, to acquire relief pitcher Ugueth Urbina to aid their championship drive. González played with the Rangers' Class-AA team, the
Frisco RoughRiders The Frisco RoughRiders (often shortened to 'Riders) are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. They are located in Frisco, Texas, and are named for the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regim ...
, until he made his major-league debut against 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 ...
on April 18, 2004. He was hitless in three at-bats. He recorded his first base hit on April 20 against Ramón Ortiz of the
Anaheim 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 ha ...
and his first home run on April 25 off
Kevin Jarvis Kevin Thomas Jarvis (born August 1, 1969) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played professionally for many teams including the Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres, S ...
of the Seattle Mariners. He played in 16 games for Texas in 2004 and in 43 games in 2005, with a combined batting average of .229 and 7 homers.


San Diego Padres (2006–2010)


2006

After the season, González was traded to 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 penna ...
along with pitcher Chris Young and
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 ...
Terrmel Sledge Terrmel Sledge (born March 18, 1977) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and the former assistant hitting coach of the Chicago Cubs. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals and San D ...
. In return, the Rangers received Adam Eaton and Akinori Otsuka. Originally seen as an eventual replacement for
Ryan Klesko Ryan Anthony Klesko (born June 12, 1971) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and corner outfielder who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. He attended Westminster High School in Westminster, ...
at first base, González was given the job when Klesko underwent shoulder surgery. With extended playing time at first base in 2006, González continued to improve his hitting and defense. On July 23, 2006, he was named the NL Player of the Week. In his first full season, he led the Padres in
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 i ...
(.304) and
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 is ...
s (24). He was the first player in
Petco Park Petco Park is a baseball stadium in Downtown San Diego, California. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres, and has also been used as a venue for concerts, soccer, golf, and rugby. The ballpark is located between ...
history to have more than one multiple home run game. He was named the Padres MVP for 2006.


2007

On March 31, 2007, González agreed to a $9.5 million, four-year deal, with a club option for $5.5 million in 2011. In the 2007 season, he led the Padres in home runs again, with 30, and had a team-high 100 RBIs. He led all Major League first basemen with 161 games and a career-high 46 doubles.


2008

In the 2008 season, González finished with a .279 average and once again led the Padres with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs. He was elected to the
2008 MLB All-Star Game The 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 79th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played at Yankee Stadi ...
as a reserve. He went 1 for 3 with a single and a sacrifice fly, scoring
Miguel Tejada Miguel Odalis Tejada ( Tejeda; born May 25, 1974) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for six teams, most notably the Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles, before ...
of 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 ...
. He won his first
Gold Glove Award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
in 2008 at first base. González set career highs in games played (162), home runs (36), RBI (119), runs scored (103), walks (74), and slugging percentage (.510). He was named the Padres MVP for the second time.


2009

González played winter ball in the
Mexican Pacific League The Mexican Pacific League (), known as Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico for sponsorship reasons or simply LMP for its acronym in Spanish, is a professional baseball winter league based in Northern Mexico. The ten-team regular season schedule run ...
with the
Venados de Mazatlán Venados de Mazatlán ( en, Mazatlán Deer) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican Pacific League based in Mazatlan, Sinaloa. In 2016, the team won the Mexican Pacific League Championship and went on to win their second Caribbean Serie ...
. In the 2009 Caribbean Series, he led his team past the Dominican Republic's
Tigres del Licey Tigres del Licey (English: Licey Tigers) is a professional baseball team in the Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM). The team was founded in 1907 and based in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It is one of two LIDOM franchises based in ...
with a record-setting 3 home runs on February 4. González hit 23 homers, leading Major League Baseball in that category through May 2009 despite playing his home games at Petco Park, which Padres statisticians describe as an "extreme pitcher's park." On May 18, González was described as being one of the two most underrated players in the National League according to a poll of Major League executives and managers conducted by
MLB.com MLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. (a subsidiary of MLB). MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports column ...
. On June 1, González was named the NL Co- Player of the Week for the second time in his career. During that week, González hit four home runs, tallied 10 RBIs, and had a 1.000 slugging percentage. González was elected to the
2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game The 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 80th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 2009 ...
after voting by fellow players, managers and coaches. He subsequently participated in that year's Home Run Derby where he hit two home runs in the first round. On August 1, González finished 6-for-6 with three
RBI RBI most often refers to: *Reserve Bank of India *Run batted in RBI may also refer to: Organisations *Radio Berlin International *Raiffeisen Bank International *Reed Business Information *Restaurant Brands International *Ruđer Bošković In ...
as the Padres topped the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. The Brewers are named for the city's association wi ...
13–6. González's six hits are the most by any Padre in a nine-inning game. Three others have accomplished the feat, but did it in extra-inning contests. González hit five singles and a double. He led the majors in walks in 2009 with 119 and set a Major League record with eight consecutive multi-walk games, a record which still stands . He also hit 40 home runs for the first time in his career. He was named the Padres team MVP for 2009, his third time honored.


2010

González started the 2010 season playing well. On May 24, he was named the NL Player of the Week for the fourth time in his career. On June 2, González hit a
walk-off Walk-off may refer to: *an event in a sporting event where the game-winning score immediately ends the game, such as a walk-off home run in baseball, a touchdown or field goal that's scored when there's no time left on the clock or during the overti ...
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 extra innings to lead his team toward a 5–1 victory over the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major leagu ...
. In July, González was elected to participate in his third consecutive
All-Star game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or d ...
. During the 2010 season, González had 176 hits in 591 at-bats, good for a .298 batting average, his highest since hitting .304 in his first season with San Diego (2006). He had 93 walks and 114 strikeouts. His 93 walks put him in third place in the NL behind only
Prince Fielder Prince Semien Fielder (born May 9, 1984) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, and Texas Rangers. He was selected in ...
(114) and
Albert Pujols José Alberto Pujols Alcántara () (); born January 16, 1980) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball first baseman, designated hitter and third baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "The Machi ...
(103). He finished with 31 home runs and 101 RBI, the third time in his career he had 100 RBI or more. González played in 160 games on the year, tying him with
Rickie Weeks Rickie Darnell Weeks Jr. (born September 13, 1982) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays. He ...
for 5th in the NL. He scored 87 runs on the season, compiling 302
total base In baseball statistics, total bases (TB) is the number of bases a player has gained with hits. It is a weighted sum for which the weight value is 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run. Only bases attained from hits ...
s, which also tied him with Weeks, for 6th in the NL. González was named team MVP for the third consecutive year and the fourth time overall with the Padres.


Boston Red Sox (2011–2012)

On December 6, 2010, González was traded to the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eig ...
for a package of right-handed pitcher
Casey Kelly Casey Patrick Kelly (born October 4, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the LG Twins of the KBO League. He was a first-round draft choice, 30th overall, in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft by the Boston Red Sox. Kelly was ...
, first baseman
Anthony Rizzo Anthony Vincent Rizzo (born August 8, 1989) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs. He is a three-time ...
, outfielder
Reymond Fuentes Reymond Louis Fuentes (born February 12, 1991) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks. Early life ...
, and a
player to be named later In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the seaso ...
, later determined to be Eric Patterson. On April 15, 2011, González and the Red Sox agreed to a seven-year contract extension worth $154 million through the 2018 season. On June 19, 2011, González hit his 1,000th career hit: a triple off of
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. The Brewers are named for the city's association wi ...
pitcher
Yovani Gallardo Yovani Gallardo (pronounced gah-YAR-doh; born February 27, 1986) is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the 2004 Major League Baseball draft out of Trimble Technical High ...
. On July 3, 2011, González was selected to represent the Red Sox at the 2011 All-Star Game in Arizona along with teammates
Josh Beckett Joshua Patrick Beckett (born May 15, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). A three-time MLB All-Star, he played for the Florida Marlins, the Boston Red Sox, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Afte ...
,
Jacoby Ellsbury Jacoby McCabe Ellsbury ( ; born September 11, 1983) is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox from 2007 through 2013 and then played for the New York Yankees from 2 ...
,
David Ortiz David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975), nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican-American former designated hitter (DH) and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played in the American League (AL) from 1997 to 2016, primarily wit ...
,
Kevin Youkilis Kevin Edmund Youkilis (; born March 15, 1979), nicknamed "Youk" , is an American former professional baseball first baseman and third baseman, who primarily played for the Boston Red Sox. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he was drafted by the Red S ...
, and
Jon Lester Jonathan Tyler Lester (born January 7, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals. L ...
. González hit a home run in the game and was responsible for the only run for 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 ...
. Additionally, Ortiz selected González as one of three sluggers to join him in the Home Run Derby, where he finished second to
Robinson Canó Robinson José Canó Mercedes (; born October 22, 1982) is a Dominican-American professional baseball second baseman who is currently a free agent. He previously played in MLB for the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Dieg ...
. González tied a record for most home runs in the final round of the home run derby at 11, which was then surpassed by the victor Cano. González was named AL Player of the Month for June 2011 with a .404 average (40 for 99) – the best in the Majors for that month. After placing second in the
2011 Home Run Derby The 2011 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby (known through sponsorship as the State Farm Home Run Derby) was a home run hitting contest in Major League Baseball (MLB) between four batters each from the National League and American League. The ...
, González faced a home-run slump until he hit five home runs in ten at-bats on August 23–25. He appeared on the cover of baseball video game '' MLB 12: The Show''. On November 21, the AL MVP ballots came out, with González in seventh place and his teammate Ellsbury in 2nd, both losing to
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 ...
ace
Justin Verlander Justin Brooks Verlander ( ; born February 20, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros. From Manakin-Sabo ...
. In 2012, González appeared in 123 games with the Red Sox, hitting .300 with 15 homers and 86 RBI.


Los Angeles Dodgers (2012–2017)


2012

On August 25, 2012, González was traded to the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brookly ...
(along with
Josh Beckett Joshua Patrick Beckett (born May 15, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). A three-time MLB All-Star, he played for the Florida Marlins, the Boston Red Sox, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Afte ...
,
Nick Punto Nicholas Paul Punto (born November 8, 1977) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, a ...
and
Carl Crawford Carl Demonte Crawford (born August 5, 1981), nicknamed "The Perfect Storm", is an American former professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. He ba ...
) and $11 million in cash for
James Loney James Anthony Loney (born May 7, 1984) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, and New York Mets, and in Korea Baseball Org ...
, Iván DeJesús Jr., Allen Webster and two players to be named later (
Jerry Sands Gerald Robert Sands (born September 28, 1987) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and first baseman. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 25th round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of Catawba College and made his M ...
and
Rubby De La Rosa Rubby Nick De La Rosa Corporan (born March 4, 1989) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bos ...
). In his first at bat with the Dodgers that same day, he hit a three-run home run against the
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The fra ...
. In 36 games with the Dodgers, he hit .297 with 3 homers and 22 RBI.


2013

In the 2013 season, González appeared in 157 games for the Dodgers and hit .293 with 22 home runs and 100 RBI. He was a candidate for the final vote at the
2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game The 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 84th edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It was held on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at Citi Field in Queens, New York City, the home of the New York Mets. This was the first time ...
but did not get selected to the game. In the
2013 NLCS The 2013 National League Championship Series, the 44th NLCS, was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the St. Louis Cardinals against the Los Angeles Dodgers for Major League Baseball's National League pennant. The Cardinals beat the Dodgers in six g ...
Game 5 against 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 h ...
, González went 3 for 4 with 2 home runs. The Dodgers would eventually lose the series in six games.


2014

González finished the 2014 season with 116 RBI, the most in all 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) ...
. He was the Dodgers' nominee for the
Hank Aaron Award The Hank Aaron Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players selected as the top hitter in each league, as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. It was introduced in 1999 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Hank ...
, after hitting 27 home runs in 159 games. However, his batting average of .276 was the lowest of his career. He finished up the season by winning the
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 con ...
as the best hitting first baseman in the NL and also won several awards for his defense at first base, including the
Gold Glove Award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...
,
Fielding Bible Award A Fielding Bible Award recognizes the best defensive player for each fielding position in Major League Baseball (MLB) based on statistical analysis. John Dewan and Baseball Info Solutions conduct the annual selection process, which commenced in 2 ...
and
Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award The Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award was awarded annually to the best defensive player at each fielding position in Major League Baseball (MLB). The award was given between 2012 and 2019. An overall Defensive Player of the Year and a De ...
.


2015

González opened the 2015 season with five home runs in the first three games of the season, including three on April 8 against
Andrew Cashner Andrew Burton Cashner (born September 11, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red ...
. He was the first MLB player to hit five home runs in the first three games of the season. By homering in his fifth consecutive game, dating back to the end of the 2014 season, he tied the team record, which he shares with
Roy Campanella Roy Campanella (November 19, 1921 – June 26, 1993), nicknamed "Campy", was an American baseball player, primarily as a catcher. The Philadelphia native played in the Negro leagues and Mexican League for nine years before entering the minor lea ...
(1950),
Shawn Green Shawn David Green (born November 10, 1972) is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder. Green was a 1st round draft pick and a two-time major league All-Star. He drove in 100 runs four times and scored 100 runs four times, hit ...
(2001),
Matt Kemp Matthew Ryan Kemp (born September 23, 1984) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He began his professional career in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in 2003, and played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Dodgers fr ...
(2010), and
Joc Pederson Joc Russell Pederson ( ; born April 21, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Atlanta Br ...
(2015). He won the player of the week honors as a result of that performance. He was also awarded with the National League player of the month award for April as he hit .383 with eight home runs and 19 RBI in the month. He recorded his 1,000th career RBI when he hit a two-run home run off
Julio Teherán Julio Alberto Teherán Pinto (born January 27, 1991) is a Colombian professional baseball pitcher in the San Diego Padres organization. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, and Detroit Tigers. ...
of 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 B ...
on May 26. Gonzalez was selected to the
2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game The 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 86th edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The game was played at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio on Tuesday, July 14. It was televised nationally on Fox. The Americ ...
, the first Dodger first baseman selected since
Nomar Garciaparra Anthony Nomar Garciaparra (; born July 23, 1973) is an American retired Major League Baseball player and current SportsNet LA analyst. After playing parts of nine seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played shortstop, thir ...
in 2006. He finished the 2015 season by hitting .275 in 156 games with 28 home runs and 90 RBI, the lowest RBI total he had since 2006.


2016

González played for the
Mexico national baseball team The Mexico national baseball team (Spanish: ''Selección de béisbol de México'') is the baseball team that represents Mexico in international tournaments. It is currently the 4th-ranked baseball team in the world. Roster Results and fixtures ...
in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers during spring training in March 2016. The team was managed by his brother
Edgar Edgar is a commonly used English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name ''Eadgar'' (composed of '' ead'' "rich, prosperous" and '' gar'' "spear"). Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the later medieval period; it was, however, r ...
. On June 22, 2016 during a game against the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadi ...
, Gonzalez made a highlight-reel catch after a ball in foul territory deflected off
Chase Utley Chase Cameron Utley (born December 17, 1978), nicknamed "The Man" and "Silver Fox", is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons, primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies. He ...
's glove and off Gonzalez's leg. On August 7, 2016 González hit his 300th career home run against the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eig ...
. On the season he appeared in 156 games, with a .285 batting average, 18 homers and 90 RBI. It was the fewest home runs he had hit in a season since 2012.


2017

On May 5, 2017, González was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to right elbow soreness. It was the first time in his MLB career that González was put on the DL. González recorded his 2,000th career hit with a double off
Johnny Barbato John Edward Barbato ( ; born July 11, 1992) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, and Detroit Tigers, and also played in Nippon Profession ...
of the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. Founded as part o ...
on August 22. González dealt with lingering back issues during the 2017 season, which caused him to spend half the season on the disabled list and as a result lost playing time to rookie
Cody Bellinger Cody James Bellinger (born July 13, 1995) is an American professional baseball center fielder and first baseman for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was selected by ...
at first. For the 2017 season, González only appeared in 71 games, batting .242/.287/.355 with 30 RBIs. He was shut down for the season in September and did not appear on the Dodgers playoff roster. In his final at-bat with the Dodgers, Gonzalez hit a home run against the Padres, giving him the rare distinction of having homered in both his first and last at-bats with the team. On December 16, 2017, the Dodgers traded González,
Charlie Culberson Charles Edward Culberson (born April 10, 1989) is an American professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. The San Francisco Giants drafted Culberson in the first round in the 2007 Major League Baseball draft. He previously played in Majo ...
,
Scott Kazmir Scott Edward Kazmir (; born January 24, 1984) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He previously played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Cleveland Indians, Oakland Athletics ...
,
Brandon McCarthy Brandon Patrick McCarthy (born July 7, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and front office executive. He is the special assistant to the general manager for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in M ...
, and cash considerations to 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 B ...
for
Matt Kemp Matthew Ryan Kemp (born September 23, 1984) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He began his professional career in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in 2003, and played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Dodgers fr ...
. Immediately following the trade, the Braves designated González for assignment, then released him two days later. González waived his no-trade clause to facilitate the trade, which he did because he wanted to test free agency.


New York Mets

On January 18, 2018, González signed a one-year contract with the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major leagu ...
. On June 10, 2018, the Mets granted González his unconditional release. In 54 games with the Mets, he batted .237/.299/.373; he had just three hits in his final 27 at bats with the team.


Mariachis de Guadalajara

On March 30, 2021, González announced his return to baseball and officially signed with the
Mariachis de Guadalajara The Mariachis de Guadalajara ( English: Guadalajara Mariachis) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Zapopan, Jalisco. Their home ballpark is Estadio Panamericano, and has a capacity of 16,500 people. The Mariachis were e ...
of the
Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...
. On July 19, González announced that he would retire from professional baseball following the conclusion of the Mexican League season. In 43 games for Guadalajara, González batted .340/.412/.531 with 6 home runs and 41 RBI. He officially announced his retirement from professional baseball on February 5, 2022.


Personal life

González and his wife Betsy reside in the San Diego County community of
La Jolla La Jolla ( , ) is a hilly, seaside neighborhood within the city of San Diego, California, United States, occupying of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The population reported in the 2010 census was 46,781. La Jolla is surrounded on ...
. They have two daughters. The couple created ''The Adrián and Betsy González Foundation'', which is focused on empowering underprivileged youth in areas of athletics, education and health. As one of his charitable endeavors, González paid for the refurbishing of the baseball field in the Tijuana sports complex where he played as a youth. González is a
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...
and engraved on his bats is "PS 27:1" for verse 1 from
Psalm 27 Psalm 27 is the 27th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of t ...
. González has spoken about his faith saying, "I don't want to be remembered in baseball. I want to be remembered as a good witness for
Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religi ...
. ... I'm just trying to use this platform to bring people to Christ."


See also

*
List of first overall Major League Baseball draft picks The first-year player draft, also known as the Rule 4 Draft, is the primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs to Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. Unlike most ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders This is a list of the 300 Major League Baseball players who have hit the most home runs. In the sport of baseball, a home run is a hit in which the batter scores by circling all the bases and reaching home plate in one play, without the benefit ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders This is a list of Major League Baseball players who have compiled 1,000 runs batted in (RBIs). RBIs are usually accumulated when a batter in baseball enables a runner on base (including himself, in the case of a home run) to score as a result of ma ...
*
List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders In baseball, a hit is credited to a batter when he reaches first base – or any subsequent base – safely after hitting a fair ball, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice. One hundred seventeen different players have record ...
*
Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award The Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award was awarded annually to the best defensive player at each fielding position in Major League Baseball (MLB). The award was given between 2012 and 2019. An overall Defensive Player of the Year and a De ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:González, Adrián 1982 births Living people Baseball players from San Diego Major League Baseball first basemen American League All-Stars National League All-Stars National League RBI champions Gold Glove Award winners Texas Rangers players San Diego Padres players Boston Red Sox players Los Angeles Dodgers players New York Mets players Sportspeople from Chula Vista, California American baseball players of Mexican descent Utica Blue Sox players Gulf Coast Marlins players Kane County Cougars players Portland Sea Dogs players Carolina Mudcats players Albuquerque Isotopes players Frisco RoughRiders players Oklahoma RedHawks players Venados de Mazatlán players 2006 World Baseball Classic players 2009 World Baseball Classic players 2013 World Baseball Classic players 2017 World Baseball Classic players Silver Slugger Award winners People from Bonita, California Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players Oklahoma City Dodgers players Mariachis de Guadalajara players Baseball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics Olympic baseball players of Mexico Major League Baseball broadcasters Los Angeles Dodgers announcers