Lourdes Gurriel Jr reaches 85 home runs in MLB and ties Yoán Moncada among Cubans

August 7, 2023

Last Friday, August 5, the Arizona Diamondbacks fell 3-2 to the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. In this way, the Rattlers started behind in the three-game series that would end with all three games in favor of the Minnesota team.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. connected his 17th home run of the season and his second of the week, previously since July 7 he had not hit a home run in the Major Leagues. He went 3-for-1 with the aforementioned home run, two runs scored, one RBI and one strikeout.

He connected the home run off a changeup (83.0 mph) from right-hander Bailey Ober that left his bat at 108.3 mph, traveled 388 feet down the line in left field and opened the scoring in the second inning (1-0).

His 13th home run of the current season was his sixth with opposite field angles and now he is tied for 2nd all-time in this category among those born in Cuba with José Canseco, Yoenis Céspedes, Yuniesky Betancourt, Orestes Miñoso, Tony Pérez and Alexei Ramírez.

So far this season he has played in 98 games in which he maintains an offensive line of .253/.300/.463/.763, with 95 hits in 376 at-bats, 43 extra-base hits (24 2B, 2 3B and 17 HR), 45 runs scored and 58 RBIs. With Friday's hit he reached 586 and remains above the native of Villa Clara Aledmys Díaz (576) on the all-time list of Cuban hitters.

Precisely on the all-time list of Cubans, the native of Espíritu Santo reached 85 HRs and tied the native of Cienfuegos Yoán Moncada, needing 124 fewer games than the latter to achieve it. Adolis García also connected two and placed himself in 21st place with 86 home runs. At the edge of the TOP-20 home runs among Cubans appears Yunel Escobar with (90).

The Diamondbacks reached the top of the National League West, but they have not fared well in recent games, maintaining a 3-7 record in their last 10. At this moment they are two games behind their current rival and 4.5 games behind the leaders, the Dodgers (60-45).