34 Facts About Yulieski 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.

Yulieski 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 Yulieski Gurriel would be a first-round draft pick were he eligible for the draft.

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

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

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

Yulieski 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.

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

Yulieski 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.

Yulieski 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.

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

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

Yulieski 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.

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

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

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

In Game 3 of the World Series, Yulieski 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.

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

Yulieski 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yulieski 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, Yulieski 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.

Yulieski 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, Yulieski Gurriel endured his most challenging season in the major leagues to date.

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

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

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

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