34 Facts About Yuli Gurriel

Yulieski Gourriel Castillo was born on June 9,1984, and commonly known as Yuli Gurriel and nicknamed "La Pina", is a Cuban professional baseball first baseman for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball.

Yuli Gurriel previously played for Sancti Spiritus in the Cuban National Series and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball.

At the World Baseball Classic in 2006, MLB scouts projected that Yuli Gurriel would be a first-round draft pick were he eligible for the draft.

Yuli Gurriel defected from Cuba in 2016, and made his major league debut that year.

Yuli Gurriel helped lead the club to American League pennants in 2019 and 2021.

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In 2021, Yuli Gurriel won the AL batting title, becoming the second Cuban-born player to do so.

Yuli Gurriel was the AL Gold Glove Award winner for first baseman in 2021, making him the oldest player to win a Gold Glove at that position.

Yuli Gurriel played his Cuban career with Sancti Spiritus and Industriales of the Cuban National Series.

Yuli Gurriel's contributions helped the national team win a gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics and World Cup of Baseball championships in 2003 and 2005.

Yuli Gurriel played second base for the Cuban national baseball team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, striking out for the final out for Cuba in their championship game loss to Japan.

Yuli Gurriel played for Cuba again in the 2009 WBC, as their third baseman.

On May 11,2014, Yuli Gurriel signed a one-year contract with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

Yuli Gurriel refuted this claim on August 1,2006, stating that he returned to his home in Cuba immediately after the conclusion of the tournament in which the Cuban national team had been playing.

Yuli Gurriel played a total of 15 games in the Astros' minor league system that year.

Yuli Gurriel was then promoted to the Lancaster JetHawks of the Class A-Advanced California League.

Defensively, Yuli Gurriel ranked second among AL first basemen in assists with 90.

In Game 3 of the World Series, Yuli Gurriel hit a home run off Japanese Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish, and upon returning to the dugout, made a racist gesture mocking the pitcher.

Yuli Gurriel was caught on camera stretching the sides of his eyes and mouthing the Spanish word chinito, which translates to "little Chinese Boy".

Yuli Gurriel apologized, and said that anyone from Asia is called a chino in Cuba, although he acknowledged that he knew the term was offensive from having played in Japan.

Yuli Gurriel was suspended for the first five games of the 2018 season without pay, but not for the World Series.

Yuli Gurriel was required to undergo sensitivity training in the offseason.

The Astros said that they would donate Yuli Gurriel's salary lost during the suspension to a charity that supports diversity efforts.

In Game 7, Yuli Gurriel faced Darvish again, and tipped his helmet before his at bat as a respectful gesture.

Yuli Gurriel became the fifth player to have won both an Olympic gold medal and a World Series championship, after Orlando Hernandez, Jose Contreras, Pat Borders and Doug Mientkiewicz.

Yuli Gurriel was named AL Player of the Week for the first time on September 23,2018, having batted.

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Yuli Gurriel set a new club record for average with RISP in one season, which exceeded Jose Cruz'.

Yuli Gurriel established career-highs in numerous categories, including in games played, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, runs, hits, home runs, RBI, and bases on balls.

At age 35, Yuli Gurriel became the oldest player in Astros history to produce 40+ doubles, 30+ HR and 100+ RBI in one season, surpassing Jeff Bagwell's age-33 campaign in 2001.

Yuli Gurriel was the third-oldest player in MLB history to reach those milestones, after David Ortiz' 2016 season at age 40 and Vinny Castilla at age 36 in 2004.

In 2020, Yuli Gurriel endured his most challenging season in the major leagues to date.

Yuli Gurriel tied for the major league lead in sacrifice flies, with 12.

Yuli Gurriel won his first career Gold Glove Award, becoming the second Astro to win the award at the position and first since Bagwell.

Yuli Gurriel was, again, the final out of the series, grounding to Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson.

Iin the 2022 ALDS, Yuli Gurriel played a crucial role in a sweep over the Mariners, batting.