Alfonso Soriano facts for kids

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Alfonso Soriano

Soriano with the New York Yankees in 2013

Left fielder / Second baseman

Born: January 7, 1976 (age 49)
San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

Professional debut

NPB: August 5, 1997, for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp

MLB: September 14, 1999, for the New York Yankees

Last appearance

NPB: August 17, 1997, for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp

MLB: July 5, 2014, for the New York Yankees

MLB statistics

Batting average

.270

Hits

2,095

Home runs

412

Runs batted in

1,159

Teams

Hiroshima Toyo Carp (1997)
New York Yankees (1999–2003)
Texas Rangers (2004–2005)
Washington Nationals (2006)
Chicago Cubs (2007–2013)
New York Yankees (2013–2014)

Career highlights and awards

7× All-Star (2002–2008)
4× Silver Slugger Award (2002, 2004–2006)
AL stolen base leader (2002)

Alfonso Guilleard Soriano (born January 7, 1976) is a former professional baseball player from the Dominican Republic. He was known for playing as a left fielder and second baseman. Soriano played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), including the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cubs. He also played briefly in Japan for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

Soriano started his career in Japan in 1996. He later joined the Yankees in 1998, playing in their minor league teams. The next year, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the All-Star Futures Game. He then made his MLB debut with the Yankees and helped them win two American League championships. After playing for the Rangers and Nationals, he signed with the Cubs. In 2013, he returned to the Yankees before retiring in 2014.

Alfonso Soriano was a seven-time MLB All-Star. He won the All-Star Game MVP Award in 2004. He also won the Silver Slugger Award four times, which is given to the best offensive players at each position. In 2006, he became one of only six players in history to join the 40-40 club, meaning he hit 40 home runs and stole 40 bases in one season. He hit over 400 career home runs, which is a rare achievement in baseball.

Alfonso Soriano's Baseball Journey
Fielding Skills
Personal Life
Images for kids
See Also

Alfonso Soriano's Baseball Journey

Starting in Japan: Hiroshima Toyo Carp (1996–1997)

Alfonso Soriano began his professional baseball career in Japan. He trained at the Hiroshima Toyo Carp's academy for players from the Dominican Republic. In 1996, he played in a minor league in Japan. In 1997, he played in nine games for the main team.

Soriano did not like the very intense practice schedule in Japan. He also wanted a higher salary. He decided he wanted to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States. After some discussions, MLB decided that Soriano was a free agent. This meant he could sign with any team he wanted.

Becoming a Yankee: New York Yankees (1998–2003)

In 1998, Soriano signed with the New York Yankees. He started as an infielder, first at third base, then moving to second base. In 1999, he was chosen for the All-Star Futures Game. He was named the game's MVP after hitting two home runs.

Soriano played for the Yankees for five seasons. His first MLB hit was a game-winning home run in 1999. In the 2001 World Series, he hit a go-ahead home run in Game 7, but the Yankees lost the series.

In 2002, Soriano became only the second Yankee to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. He did it again in 2003! In 2002, he led the American League in several categories, including hits, stolen bases, and runs scored. In 2003, he set a record by hitting 13 home runs to start a game.

Playing in Texas: Texas Rangers (2004–2005)

In 2004, the Yankees traded Soriano to the Texas Rangers. On May 8, 2004, Soriano had six hits in one game, which was a first for a Texas Ranger. That same year, he was voted to start in the 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game as the second baseman. He hit a three-run home run and was named the MVP of the game.

In 2005, he was among the league leaders in stolen bases and extra base hits.

Moving to Washington: Washington Nationals (2006)

In December 2005, Soriano was traded to the Washington Nationals. He set a record for the highest salary given in arbitration, receiving $10 million. The Nationals offered him a big contract extension, but Soriano chose to become a free agent after the season.

Soriano with the Washington Nationals in 2006

In March 2006, the Nationals manager asked Soriano to play left field instead of second base. Soriano was not happy about this at first, but he eventually agreed. As the season went on, he started to enjoy his new position. He even led the league in outfield assists by the All-Star break. He made his fifth straight All-Star team.

On August 25, 2006, Soriano became the fastest player in baseball history to reach 200 home runs and 200 stolen bases. In September, he made his 20th outfield assist. This made him the only player ever with 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases, and 20 assists in one season.

Alfonso Soriano joins the 40–40 club by stealing his 40th base against the Milwaukee Brewers at RFK Stadium, September 16, 2006.

On September 16, Soriano stole second base to become the fourth player to join the 40–40 club. This means he had 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season. Six days later, he became the first player to reach 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases, and 40 doubles in one season. He also set a new career high with 46 home runs.

Joining the Cubs: Chicago Cubs (2007–2013)

2007 Season

Soriano at bat against the San Francisco Giants

The Chicago Cubs signed Soriano to a large eight-year contract. The Cubs' manager first had Soriano play center field, but later moved him to left field. Soriano had a slow start to the season, but he improved a lot in June. He hit three home runs in one game against the Atlanta Braves. He also hit home runs in three straight games against the Chicago White Sox.

His great performance in June earned him the National League's Player of the Month award. He was also chosen as an All-Star reserve outfielder. Soriano helped the Cubs win their division, the National League Central. He finished the season with 33 home runs and a .299 batting average.

2008 Season

Soriano had a tough start in 2008 and was put on the DL with a calf injury. After he returned, he started hitting well, including 7 home runs in just 6 games in May. His defense was sometimes criticized, but his strong arm helped the Cubs. He led the team in home runs even though he only played in 109 games. On August 22, he stole home plate, which is a rare play in baseball.

"Fonzie" hams it up with fans during pregame warmups

In September, Soriano hit three home runs in one game against the Cincinnati Reds, helping the Cubs end a losing streak. This was his third game with three home runs in his career.

2009 Season

Soriano at bat with the Cubs in 2009.

Soriano started the 2009 season strong, hitting a solo home run in his first at-bat. He continued to hit important home runs in April. However, his batting average dropped in May.

His manager later moved him lower in the batting order, and Soriano accepted the change. This seemed to help him. In July, he hit two go-ahead home runs and a walk-off grand slam against the Houston Astros.

Later Cubs Seasons (2010–2013)

In 2010, Soriano played in the most games for the Cubs that season (147). He hit his 300th career home run on June 11, 2010. In 2011, he hit 26 home runs and drove in 88 runs.

2012 was one of Soriano's best years in a while. He hit 32 home runs and had a personal best of 108 RBIs, which was third in the National League. He also made only one error in the field, which was his best defensive year.

Soriano started the 2013 season well with the Cubs, hitting 17 home runs and 51 RBIs in 93 games.

Back with the Yankees: Second Stint (2013–2014)

Return to New York

Alfonso Soriano makes a diving catch during a Yankees-Orioles game on September 12 2013

On July 26, 2013, the Cubs traded Soriano back to the New York Yankees. On August 11, 2013, Soriano got his 2,000th career hit, which was a home run.

He had an amazing streak in August 2013. On August 13, he hit two home runs and had a career-high six RBIs. The very next day, he broke that record by driving in seven runs! He became one of only a few players to have at least six RBIs in back-to-back games. From August 13 to 16, Soriano drove in 18 runs over four games, tying a Major League record. He was named the AL Player of the Week for his incredible performance.

Alfonso Soriano in 2013

On August 27, Soriano hit two home runs, and the second one was the 400th of his career. For the rest of 2013 with the Yankees, he played 58 games, hitting 17 home runs and 50 RBIs. Overall in 2013, he played 151 games, hitting 34 home runs and 101 RBIs.

Final Season (2014)

In 2014, Soriano's playing time became limited. He was released by the Yankees on July 14, 2014. In 67 games, he batted .221 with 6 home runs and 23 RBIs.

Retirement

Alfonso Soriano announced his retirement from baseball on November 4, 2014. He said he had "lost the love and passion to play the game." At the time of his retirement, his 412 career home runs placed him among the top players in baseball history.

Career Highlights and Awards

7× All-Star (2002–2008)
4× Silver Slugger Award (2002, 2004–2006)
MLB All-Star Game MVP (2004)
AL stolen base leader (2002)
4x 30-30 club (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006) - 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season
40-40 club (2006) - 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season

Fielding Skills

Alfonso Soriano played both second base and left field during his career. From 2001 to 2005, he led all major league second basemen in errors each year. However, when he moved to left field in 2006, he was second among all left fielders in errors, but he also led them with 22 assists, showing off his strong arm.

Games	GS	INN	TC	PO	A	E	DP	RF	FPCT
1796	1775	15400.2	5668	3311	2191	166	504	3.22	.971

Personal Life

Alfonso Soriano's family has roots in Haiti. His mother, Doña Andrea Soriano, is the sister of Hilario Soriano, who was also a baseball player.

Soriano is married to Carmen Isis Eusebio. They have three daughters named Alisis, Angeline, and Alisha, and three sons named Allen, Angel, and Alfonso Jr.

Images for kids

Alfonso Soriano batting for the Nationals in 2006
Alfonso Soriano batting for the Cubs in 2009