Kendrys Morales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kendrys Morales |
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Morales batting for the Kansas City Royals
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| Designated hitter / First baseman | |||
| Born: June 20, 1983 Fomento, Cuba |
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| debut | |||
| May 23, 2006, for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 11, 2019, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Home runs | 213 | ||
| Runs batted in | 740 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Kendrys Morales Rodríguez (born June 20, 1983) is a former professional baseball player from Cuba and the Dominican Republic. He played as a designated hitter and first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). He also played right field sometimes.
Morales is well-known for an ankle injury he got on May 29, 2010. This happened while he was celebrating a walk-off grand slam. The injury kept him from playing in MLB for almost two years. In 2015, while playing for the Kansas City Royals, Morales won a Silver Slugger Award. He was also part of the Royals team that won the 2015 World Series championship.
Contents
- Kendrys Morales's Early Baseball Career in Cuba
- Kendrys Morales's Professional Baseball Career
- Starting in the Minor Leagues
- Playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
- Playing for the Seattle Mariners
- Playing for the Minnesota Twins
- Returning to the Seattle Mariners
- Playing for the Kansas City Royals
- Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Playing for the Oakland Athletics
- Playing for the New York Yankees
- Retirement from Baseball
- Kendrys Morales's Personal Life
- See also
Kendrys Morales's Early Baseball Career in Cuba
Kendrys Morales played baseball in Cuba, which was similar to the Triple-A level in North America. When he was 16 or 17, he was a top pitcher and a strong hitter. He could hit home runs from both sides of the plate.
Joining the Cuban National Team
In 2002, Morales joined the Cuba national baseball team. He quickly became a star, even though he was the first teenager on the team in nearly 20 years. He was a key hitter for the team when they won the 2003 Baseball World Cup. In the final game against Taiwan, his grand slam helped Cuba win 6–3. In the game before that, he hit a home run that secured the win against Brazil.
Playing for Industriales
In 2002, Morales played for the Industriales team in Cuba's Cuban National Series. He had a batting average of .324, with 21 home runs and 82 runs batted in (RBIs). He set seven rookie records, including for home runs and RBIs, and was named the league's Rookie of the Year. In his second season, he got injured but still finished with a .391 batting average.
Leaving Cuba to Play Professionally
Morales's time as a star in Cuba ended quickly. In November 2003, he was sent back to Cuba from Panama. This happened during the qualifying games for the 2004 Olympics. Cuban officials believed he had met with a sports agent, which was against their rules. Morales said this was not true. He told a reporter that after that moment, he just wanted to leave Cuba. He tried to escape several times and sometimes ended up in jail.
In June 2004, Morales successfully escaped Cuba on a raft. He landed on the shores of southern Florida. Like many baseball players who leave Cuba, Morales chose to live outside the United States. This allowed him to avoid the Major League Baseball draft and sign as a free agent. He moved to the Dominican Republic. There, several major-league teams watched him play. In December 2004, the Los Angeles Angels signed Morales to a six-year contract.
Kendrys Morales's Professional Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
In the spring of 2005, the Angels hoped Morales would quickly move through their minor league system. However, he faced delays getting his passport from the Dominican government. He finally made his minor league debut on May 21 for the Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. After three weeks, he moved up to Double-A Arkansas. He played for only half the season there but was second on the team in home runs.
Playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Morales had a strong spring training in 2006 but did not make the Angels' main team right away.
He made his Major League debut on May 23, 2006. He played first base and got three hits in five tries, including a home run in his second time at bat. He played well enough to be the Angels' regular first baseman for a while.
Breakout Season in 2009
Morales had a fantastic year in 2009, his first full season. He hit 34 home runs and had a slugging percentage of .569, which was second-best in the American League. He became the starting first baseman after Mark Teixeira left the Angels. Morales said he waited for his chance and focused on playing well when it came.
He played very well in the second half of 2009. He was named the American League Player of the Month in August. During that month, he drove in 33 runs in 28 games, hit 10 homers, and had a .385 batting average. His great performance led to him being considered for the American League MVP award.
The 2010 Injury
On May 29, 2010, Morales hit a walk-off grand slam to win a game against the Seattle Mariners. As he approached home plate to celebrate with his teammates, he jumped to stomp on the plate. He landed awkwardly and fractured his lower left leg. This injury immediately put him on the disabled list. He needed surgery and missed the rest of the 2010 season. In 51 games that year, Morales hit .290 with 11 home runs and 39 RBIs.
Missing the 2011 Season
Because of his ankle injury from 2010, Morales missed the entire 2011 season. He had complications during his recovery and rehabilitation.
Returning in 2012
On March 22, 2012, almost two years after his injury, Morales returned to play in a spring training game. On April 16, he hit his first home run since his 2010 injury.
On July 30, 2012, Morales hit two home runs in the same inning. He hit one as a left-handed batter and one as a right-handed batter. He was only the third player in MLB history to do this. He finished the 2012 season with a .273 batting average, 22 home runs, and 73 RBIs.
Playing for the Seattle Mariners
On December 19, 2012, the Angels traded Morales to the Seattle Mariners.
On June 23, 2013, Morales hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning against the Oakland Athletics. This led to a 6–3 Mariners win. After rounding the bases, he carefully stepped on home plate. On July 2, 2013, he hit two home runs and had 6 RBIs in a 9–2 win.
Playing for the Minnesota Twins
After the 2013 season, the Mariners offered Morales a special contract, but he turned it down. On June 8, 2014, Morales signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins.
Returning to the Seattle Mariners
On July 24, 2014, Morales was traded back to the Seattle Mariners.
Playing for the Kansas City Royals
In December 2014, Morales signed a two-year contract with the Kansas City Royals. He finished the 2015 season with 106 RBIs, which was his highest since 2009.
On September 20, 2015, Morales hit three home runs in one game, which tied a Royals record. He also had 15 total bases, setting a new Royals record. On October 14, in a crucial playoff game against the Houston Astros, Morales hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning. This helped the Royals win 7–2.
Morales hit .295 with 22 home runs, 106 RBIs, and 39 doubles in 2015. He won the 2015 Edgar Martínez Award, given to the best designated hitter in the American League.
Morales had a tough start to the 2016 season. After a short break, he improved and became the Royals' home run leader that season. On November 4, Morales chose to become a free agent.
Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays
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On November 11, 2016, Morales agreed to a three-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. On August 31, 2017, Morales made Blue Jays history. He was the first player to have 4 hits, 3 home runs, and 7 RBIs in a single game.
On May 20, 2018, Morales even pitched for the Blue Jays for the first time in his MLB career. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning. On July 8, 2018, Morales hit his 200th career home run. Starting on August 19, Morales hit a home run in seven straight games. This was the longest home run streak in Blue Jays history. It also made him the seventh person in MLB history to achieve this.
Playing for the Oakland Athletics
On March 27, 2019, the Blue Jays traded Morales to the Oakland Athletics. On May 13, he was removed from the team's active roster.
Playing for the New York Yankees
On May 14, 2019, the Athletics traded Morales to the New York Yankees. On June 25, 2019, the Yankees also removed him from their active roster, and he was released on July 2.
Retirement from Baseball
Kendrys Morales announced his retirement from baseball on February 7, 2020. He played for 13 seasons in Major League Baseball.
Kendrys Morales's Personal Life
Kendrys Morales is married to Yarley, and they have two children named Hanely and Kendrys Jr. Morales also has an older daughter named Andrea from a previous relationship. Until March 2011, his professional name was spelled "Kendry Morales" because of a mistake.
See also
In Spanish: Kendrys Morales para niños
