Yangervis Solarte’s career has been marked by both professional setbacks and personal tragedy, as Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi details in a profile of the Blue Jays infielder. A lightly-regarded prospect growing up in Venezuela, Solarte was close to giving up on his baseball dreams before signing with the Twins in 2005. Davidi’s piece details Solarte’s long path to becoming a big league regular, as well as the unimaginable burden Solarte had to face when his wife Yuliett passed away due to cancer in September 2016. Though it all, Solarte has continued to be an energetic figure on the field and become an increasingly important piece of Toronto’s everyday lineup.
Here are some more items from around the AL East…
- Blue Jays skipper John Gibbons told Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae (Twitter link) and other reporters that Josh Donaldson could potentially return from the DL on Friday when the team begins a series in Tampa Bay. Donaldson began his rehab assignment today, going 0-for-3 for Toronto’s high-A ball affiliate. Donaldson played as a DH today, so he has yet to test his ailing shoulder in a game situation by throwing from third base.
- Mark Trumbo is slated to be activated from the DL on Tuesday, with the Orioles already optioning Joey Rickard back to Triple-A today to create roster space. Trumbo will be making his season debut after missing six weeks with a quad strain, with the slugger looking to personally rebound from a poor 2017 season and also add some pop to an Orioles lineup that has struggled to score runs this year. The O’s figure to use Trumbo as a right-handed hitting complement at first base, DH, and right field, as those positions are respectively occupied by lefty-swingers Chris Davis and Pedro Alvarez, and switch-hitter Anthony Santander. Manager Buck Showalter also told media (including BaltimoreBaseball.com’s Dan Connolly) that Luis Sardinas will be placed on the 10-day DL due to a bad back, and Engelb Vielma looks to be the likeliest candidate to replace Sardinas as the utility infielder.
- Red Sox manager Alex Cora provided some updates (to MLB.com’s Ian Browne and other reporters) about some injury situations, including Mookie Betts’ day-to-day status with right hamstring tightness. Betts didn’t play on Sunday as the Sox are being cautious with their superstar: “If this game is September, October, November, I guarantee he’d play, but we have to take care of him,” Cora said. As for other sidelined Sox players, Dustin Pedroia is begun play in extended Spring Training games as the second baseman continues his rehab from knee surgery last October. Tyler Thornburg is also beginning a Triple-A rehab assignment on Monday, which will be his first taste of game action at any level after missing all of 2017 due to shoulder problems that resulted in thoracic outlet surgery. Given the extended layoff, Browne thinks Thornburg’s rehab assignment could last for the maximum 30 days as the right-hander gets himself back into game shape.
Sox REALLY need Pedroia back. Nunez has been absolute garbage defensively and has given them nothing with the bat. I would almost consider starting Holt when he returns from the DL
He’s a washed up condom
Immortal words of Alvin Dark..Take a hike son, just take a hike.
Holt’s been on fire lately. He is a huge step up from Nunez
Holt is on the DL.
10 day DL. We know when healthy what each can bring. If Holt comes back on time (no guarantees with a hammy), he plays until he stops hitting. I say every day at 2nd until Pedie comes back, moving Nunez to share third with Devers who still needs to learn how to play third. No joke. If this were the playoffs, Devers when starting should be the DH with Hanley playing 3B if Moreland plays 1B. I realize Moreland would then sit but I’m stressing how Devers is not ready to play in the field.
Not mentioned in the Solarte piece that should have been is that he has 3 little girls all under the age of 5 or 6 that he will now have to raise on his own after the passing of his wife.
I will tell you what though. As a Life long Padres fan, other than Jake Peavy no other Padre in recent memory has had the passion for the game like Solarte does.
Here’s to hoping he has a great season with the Jays.
aweeee my heart breaks for him..so sad, my GOD.
I wish the same, you are very kind BLEACHERBUM
Also not mentioned is how good that trade was for the Jays. Getting a solid bat-first utility player signed to a very favorable contract in exchange for a C-grade OF prospect who will run into the Rule 5 draft after this season.
What on earth do the orioles do with Chris Davis? I mean, what an albatross of a contract. As immovable as any in baseball.
It was an awful contract the minute they put pen to paper. This was always inevitable to happen, I don’t know what they possibly could have been thinking
Yeah, it was incredible. He didn’t appear to have any other team after him and just held out until Angelos met his insanely high asking price. $20+ million a year that won’t be spent on good players they need when better first basemen can be had for about $4M/yr these days.
I’m going to play Devil’s advocate, for a second. (A role I’m unfamiliar with)
I heard Baltimore fans would have burned the stadium down if Angelos didn’t re-sign Davis. (Hyperbole because he was such a fan favorite)
Whether or not, he could’ve re-signed him for lower is the million dollar question. (literally) It’s strange to see because like most Scott Boras clients, he held out late to the end in stare down
The Davis signing was probably the final nail in how FA contracts are now negotiated. Panda’s was as bad as it could get so we thought but the years and dollars make the Davis contract the worst.
Big Yankees fan here. I am enjoying Solartes run. I would of rather had him than Headley the last couple years….
Also Pedroia may never b back to what he once was. Sad, it’s always better when the Sox have that guy that vet I respect but hate. He’s always been that guy for me.
dust44, perfectly said..
ditto on the post
Respectfully stated but his grit and determination is like no other Boston has recently seen. All accounts are he’s ahead of schedule and is expected back sometime in May. My guess from what I’m reading is unless he has downturn, two weeks or so.