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Erisbel Arruebarrena

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Arruebarrena and the second or maternal family name is Escalante.

Bárbaro Erisbel Arruebarrena Escalante (/ˈɛərɪzbɛl ˈʌruːbɑːreɪnə/; born March 25, 1990) is a Cuban professional baseball shortstop for the Algodoneros de Guasave of the Mexican Pacific League and the Cocodrilos de Matanzas of the Cuban National Series. Arruebarrena played for Cienfuegos in the Cuban National Series from 2008 through 2012, and played for the Cuba national baseball team in international competition, before defecting from Cuba in 2013 to pursue a Major League Baseball career. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014 before a poor attitude and various violations of team rules led to his banishment to the low minors and eventual release. In 2019, he became the first ex-MLB player to return to the Cuban baseball league system after defecting from the country. He now plays for the Cocodrilos de Matanzas of the Cuban National Series, as well as the Cuba national baseball team.

Erisbel Arruebarrena
Arruebarrena with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Cocodrilos de Matanzas – No. 11
Shortstop
Born: (1990-03-25) March 25, 1990 (age 34)
Cienfuegos, Cuba
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 23, 2014, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Last MLB appearance
September 28, 2014, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics
Batting average.195
Home runs0
Runs batted in4
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Cuba
Central American and Caribbean Games
Silver medal – second place 2023 San Salvador Team

Professional baseball career

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Cuban career

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Arruebarrena played for the Cienfuegos team in the Cuban National Series from 2008 to 2012 and was a member of the Cuba national baseball team in the 2011 Pan American Games,[1] 2012 Haarlem Baseball Week, the 2013 World Baseball Classic, and the 2013 World Port Tournament.[2]

In September 2013, Arruebarrena tried to defect from Cuba, and was barred from participating in the 53rd Cuban National Series as a result.[3][4] In November, he successfully defected from Cuba, established residency in Haiti and began working out in the Dominican Republic for Major League scouts.[5]

Los Angeles Dodgers

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Arruebarrena batting in 2014

On February 12, 2014, it was reported that Arruebarrena had reached a preliminary agreement on a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.[6] On February 22, 2014, the Dodgers announced that they had signed him to a 5-year contract worth a reported $25 million, with a $7.5 million signing bonus.[7][8][9] He was assigned to the AA Chattanooga Lookouts to start his career and was called up to the Dodgers on May 21, 2014.[10] He made his MLB debut as the starting shortstop for the Dodgers on May 23, 2014.[11] He struck out three times in that game.[12] He recorded his first hit the next day, on a single to center field off of David Buchanan of the Philadelphia Phillies.[13]

On July 26, 2014, Arruebarrena started a massive brawl between the Albuquerque Isotopes and Reno Aces in an AAA game. The day before, he had spent a long time circling the bases after hitting a 3-run homer, and at his first at-bat, he was nearly hit by a pitch. After he struck out, the opposing catcher "brushed him" as he threw to third base, Arruebarrena "shoved" the catcher, and both benches cleared.[14] He was optioned to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes the next day.[15] He played in 68 games in the minors in 2014 between three different levels and hit .259. In 22 games with the Dodgers, he was primarily used as a defensive replacement but also had eight hits in 41 at-bats, for a .195 average.

Arruebarrena was designated for assignment on December 31, 2014.[16] He cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to the Dodgers new AAA team, the Oklahoma City Dodgers. He was also invited to attend major league spring training as a non-roster player.[17]

Arruebarrena was not assigned to any minor league teams and began 2015 in extended spring training in Arizona. On May 21, 2015, he was suspended indefinitely by the team, without pay, for disciplinary reasons.[18] After he appealed to the commissioner's office, the suspension was reduced to 30 days.[19] He spent the entire season in the minor leagues, first with three games for the Arizona League Dodgers, then 12 for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes before spending 38 games with the Tulsa Drillers. Overall, he hit .299 in 53 games with 3 homers and 15 RBI.[20]

Arruebarrena returned to Tulsa to start the 2016 season.[21] In 17 games, he hit only .182. On May 4, 2016, the Dodgers announced that he would be suspended for the rest of the season for "repeated failure to comply with the terms of his contract."[22] In the 2017 season, he was not assigned to any minor league rosters until late in the year, and only appeared in eight games for the Arizona League Dodgers, where he hit .519 (14 hits in 27 at-bats).[20] Arruebarrena did not appear in any games for the organization in 2018, and was eventually released in late July.[23]

Return to Cuba

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In 2019, Arruebarrena repatriated to Cuba and joined the Cocodrilos de Matanzas of the Cuban National Series. He thus became the first Cuban ex-MLB player to return to the Cuban baseball league system.[24] With Matanzas' victory in the 2019/20 CNS, he also became the first ex-MLB player to win a domestic Series title after repatriating.[25]

Arruebarrena played for the Cuban national team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.[26]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "US beats 10-time defending champ Cuba at Pan Ams". UTSanDiego.com. October 24, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  2. ^ Badler, Ben (November 19, 2013). "Defensive Wizard Erisbel Arruebarruena Leaves Cuba". Baseball America. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  3. ^ martinoticias.com (October 23, 2013). "Arruebarruena fuera de la Serie Nacional" (in Spanish). Martinoticias.com. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  4. ^ Romero, Adrian (October 23, 2013). "Cuba's Top Shortstop Booted from Team". Havana Times. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  5. ^ "Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarruena defects to sign with MLB team | HardballTalk". Hardballtalk.nbcsports.com. November 19, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  6. ^ Gurnick, Ken (February 12, 2014). "Dodgers reach preliminary deal with Cuban shortstop". mlb.com. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  7. ^ Snyder, Matt (February 22, 2014). "Dodgers agree to sign Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarruena". CBS Sports. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  8. ^ Townsend, Mark (February 22, 2014). "Dodgers reach five-year, $25 million agreement with Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarruena". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  9. ^ Saxon, Mark (February 22, 2014). "Dodgers sign Erisbel Arruebarrena". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  10. ^ Gurnick, Ken (May 21, 2014). "Dodgers place Uribe on DL, promote Arruebarrena". mlb.com. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  11. ^ Stephen, Eric (May 23, 2014). "Erisbel Arruebarrena makes first MLB start in opener against Phillies". truebluela.com.
  12. ^ "May 23, 2014 Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia Phillies play by play and box score". Baseball Reference.
  13. ^ "May 24, 2014 Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia Phillies play by play and box score". Baseball Reference.
  14. ^ Newell, Sean (July 27, 2014). "Dodgers And Diamondbacks AAA Teams In Sprawling, Benches-Clearing Brawl". Deadspin. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  15. ^ Hoornstra, JP (July 27, 2014). "Erisbel Arruebarrena sent to Single-A following Triple-A brawl". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  16. ^ Weisman, Jon (December 31, 2014). "Dodgers officially sign Brett Anderson, designate Erisbel Arruebarrena for assignment". dodgers.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
  17. ^ Stephen, Eric (January 9, 2015). "Erisbel Arruebarrena sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City". truebluela.com. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  18. ^ Plunkett, Bill (May 21, 2015). "Dodgers place infielder Erisbel Arruebarrena on suspended list". Orange County Register. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  19. ^ Calcaterra, Craig (June 19, 2015). "Dodgers year-long suspension of Erisbel Arruebarrena reduced to 30 days". NBC Sports. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  20. ^ a b "Erisbel Arruebarrena Register Statistics & History". Baseball Reference.
  21. ^ Lewis, Barry (April 4, 2016). "Drillers' roster set for season opener". Tulsa World. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  22. ^ Padilla, Doug (May 5, 2015). "Dodgers suspend SS Erisbel Arruebarrena for remainder of season". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  23. ^ Todd, Jeff (August 14, 2018). "Minor MLB Transactions: 8/14/18". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  24. ^ Fariñas Naranjo, Laura (October 30, 2019). "Erisbel Arruebarrena, la diabetes y la historia de su regreso" (in Spanish). playoffmagazine.com. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  25. ^ "El pelotero Erisbel Arruebarruena logra un hito en la política y el deporte de Cuba" (in Spanish). cibercuba.com. January 19, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  26. ^ "White Sox stars set to lead Team Cuba". MLB.com.
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