Yangervis Solarte

Yangervis Solarte
Solarte with the San Diego Padres in 2016
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 26
Infielder
Born: (1987-07-03) July 3, 1987
Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela
Bats: Switch Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 2, 2014, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics
(through 2018 season)
Batting average .259
Hits 605
Home runs 74
Runs batted in 300
Teams

Yangervis Alfredo Solarte (born July 3, 1987) is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his major league debut for the New York Yankees on April 2, 2014, and has also played for the San Diego Padres.

Professional career

Solarte with the Fort Myers Miracle in 2008

Minnesota Twins

Solarte signed with the Minnesota Twins in 2005, a few weeks before his 18th birthday. Working his way through the lower levels of the Twins organization, he reached Double-A in 2009, but underwent surgery on his right shoulder and only played 16 games that season.[1] In 2010, he split time between the High-A Florida State League and the Double-A Eastern League. Playing the full season with New Britain of the Eastern League in 2011, he recorded a batting line of .329/.367/.466 in 121 games, most of them at second base.

Texas Rangers

In December 2011, Solarte signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers, which included an invitation to spring training.[2] Solarte played both the 2012 and 2013 seasons with the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate, the Round Rock Express, where he made starts at second, third, shortstop, left field, and first base. Between the two seasons, he had a .282/.331/.404 batting line and 23 home runs in 263 games.

New York Yankees

Following the 2013 season, Solarte became a free agent, and his agent, Chris Leible, helped convince him that his best opportunity to play regularly in the majors would be as a utility infielder. Three scouts had endorsed him, including Jay Darnell, David Keith and Don Wakamatsu.[3] Solarte signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees in January 2014, who had passed on resigning free agent second baseman Robinson Canó.[4][5] In spring training in 2014, Solarte competed with Eduardo Núñez, Zelous Wheeler, Dean Anna, and Scott Sizemore for a reserve infielder role with the Yankees,[6] making the team out of spring training.[7]

Solarte playing for the New York Yankees in 2014

Solarte's time with the Yankees started with collecting nine hits in his first 20 at bats, including four doubles and six RBI.[3] On April 8, 2014, Solarte hit two doubles, and became the first player in the Modern Era (since 1900) to hit six doubles in his first seven games in the Major Leagues.[8] On April 17, 2014 Solarte started a 5-4-3 triple play against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. He hit his first big league home run later that same game off of Rays pitcher Grant Balfour. He then hit his second home run, a three-run shot, against the Milwaukee Brewers, which eventually drove them to win the game. Early the next month, Solarte at one point held the highest batting average in the American League.

On July 3, 2014 Solarte was optioned back down to AAA while INF Zelous Wheeler was called up to the main roster. On July 10, 2014 Solarte was called back up to the Yankees in place of the injured Carlos Beltrán.[9] Over 75 games with the Yankees in 2014, Solarte batted .254/.337/.381 with 6 home runs, making multiple starts at third and second base and one at shortstop.

San Diego Padres

On July 22, 2014, the Yankees traded Solarte and Rafael De Paula to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Chase Headley.[10] One day later, Solarte made his Padres debut on the road against the Chicago Cubs. Solarte spent most of his time at third base in place of the departed Headley, but also made starts at second, shortstop, and in left field. With the Padres in 2014, he batted .267/.336/.355 with 4 home runs in 56 games.

In 2015, Solarte and Will Middlebrooks competed for the third base job in spring training.[11] Solarte ended up taking on a super-utility role to begin the season, making 60 starts in the first half around the infield, including a run of 17 starts at first base while Yonder Alonso was on the disabled list with a shoulder injury.[12] In the second half, Solarte became the everyday third basemen as Middlebrooks was demoted to Triple-A in July. On the season, Solarte batted .270/.320/.428 with 14 home runs in 152 games, including 85 starts at third base.

Solarte came into the 2016 season as the Padres starting third baseman.[13] Solarte suffered a strained hamstring early on and missed 38 games in April and May.[14] During the season, Solarte's wife developed complications from cancer, and he left the team for four days in July to attend to her. He again left the team in September when her condition worsened, and she passed on September 17.[15] On December 15, 2016, it was announced that Solarte was the recipient of the Tony Conigliaro Award for his on-field achievements while overcoming personal tragedy.[16] Solarte batted .286/.341/.467 on the season, with 15 home runs in 109 games.

In January 2017, the Padres signed Solarte to a two-year contract with a club option for two additional years.[17] Coming into the season, manager Andy Green decided to have Solarte spend more time at second base and give playing time at third to Ryan Schimpf or Cory Spangenberg.[18] Solarte was the regular second-baseman until June 20, when the Padres placed him on the 10-day disabled list with an oblique injury.[19] Solarte didn't return until July 30, and the Padres prepared him for a role at shortstop, as Carlos Asuaje had played well at second base in his absence and Spangenberg had taken over third.[20] Solarte moved around the infield after his return, including 24 starts at shortstop. For the season, he batted .255/.314/.416 with 18 home runs in 128 games. He made 74 starts at second base, 24 at short, 18 at third, and 4 at first.

Toronto Blue Jays

On January 6, 2018, the Padres traded Solarte to the Toronto Blue Jays for minor leaguers Edward Olivares and Jared Carkuff.[21] Due to injuries to Josh Donaldson, Solarte became the Blue Jays' everyday third baseman for most of April 2018.[22] On May 3, 2018, during the first game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians, Solarte hit his first career grand slam, in the eleventh inning, as part of a 5-for-6, 6 RBI game, helping his Blue Jays to a 13–11 win.[23] Later that day, he went 3-for-4 in the second game of the doubleheader, ending the day having gone 8-for-10 throughout the two games and setting a Blue Jays record for most hits in a doubleheader, with 8.[24] In the first half of the season, Solarte hit 16 home runs with 48 RBI's. In the second half, Solarte struggled through inconsistency and injury, hitting under .180 with only 1 home run in 30 games.

Personal life

Solarte's uncle is Roger Cedeño. Cedeño convinced his agent to take Solarte as a client as a favor.[3] His wife, Yuliette Pimentel Solarte, died on September 17, 2016, due to complications from cancer. The couple have three daughters.[25]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Neal III, La Velle (May 13, 2010). "Minor details: Yangervis heads to New Britain". Startribune.com. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Rangers long-shot utility candidate Yangervis Solarte continues good winter showing". Rangersblog.dallasnews.com. January 27, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Fox Sports (April 7, 2014). "Derek Jeter shows sense of humor after final home opener as a Yankee". Fox Sports. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Texas Rangers minor-leaguer jumps to Yankees". Rangersblog.dallasnews.com. January 12, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Solarte focused squarely on making big league team". Newyork.yankees.mlb.com. March 4, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Yankees catcher Brian McCann revisits Braves, early days". NY Daily News. March 19, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Solarte makes team; Yankees option Nunez | yankees.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. March 29, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  8. ↑ Tasch, Justin (April 8, 2014). "Yankees' Yangervis Solarte bringing the energy to Bombers lineup". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  9. ↑ "New York Yankees Call up 3B Zelous Wheeler; Yangervis Solarte Optioned to Class-AAA; Dean Anna DFA'ed".
  10. ↑ Kramer, Daniel (July 22, 2014). "Padres send Headley to Yankees for Solarte, prospect". newyork.yankees.mlb.com. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  11. ↑ Lin, Dennis (March 4, 2015). "Padres' 'biggest' competition at third base". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  12. ↑ Lin, Dennis (June 2, 2015). "Alonso returns from disabled list". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  13. ↑ Brock, Corey (February 8, 2016). "Utility man Solarte starting season cemented at third for Padres". MLB.com. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  14. ↑ Lin, Dennis (May 21, 2016). "Yangervis Solarte returns for Padres". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  15. ↑ Cassavell, AJ (September 18, 2016). "Solarte mourns death of wife, returns home". MLB.com. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  16. ↑ Lin, Dennis (December 15, 2016). "Yangervis Solarte wins 2016 Tony Conigliaro Award". San Diego Untion-Tribune. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  17. ↑ Lin, Dennis (January 16, 2017). "Yangervis Solarte grateful for new deal with Padres 'family'" (The San Diego Union-Tribune). Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  18. ↑ Sanders, Jeff (March 12, 2017). "Padres could switch things up at second base". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  19. ↑ Lin, Dennis (June 20, 2017). "Yangervis Solarte headed to disabled list with left oblique strain". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  20. ↑ Ruiz, Nathan (July 27, 2017). "Solarte could return at shortstop for Padres". MLB.com. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  21. ↑ Chisholm, Gregor (January 6, 2018). "Blue Jays land Solarte from Padres". MLB.com. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  22. ↑ Chisholm, Gregor (April 13, 2018). "Blue Jays lose Donaldson (shoulder) to DL". mlb.com. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  23. ↑ Baer, Bill (May 3, 2018). "Yangervis Solarte caps off five-hit, six-RBI day with game-winning grand slam". nbcsports.com. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Solarte sets Jays record in DH split with Tribe". tsn.ca. May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  25. ↑ ESPN.com News Services (September 18, 2016). "Yuliette Solarte, wife of Padres' Yangervis Solarte, dies at 31". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
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