This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
HOUSTON -- It’s been an emotional and thrilling week for infielder Raynel Delgado, who was traded from the Rays to the Astros on Wednesday while he was playing for Triple-A Durham and was informed he was going to the Major Leagues for the first time. He was told to join the Astros in Kansas City last Friday.
The emotions poured over his family, as well. Delgado got the trade news from Morgan Ensberg -- the former Astros third baseman who is the manager at Durham -- and the next few days were a blur. When he joined the Astros on Friday at Kauffman Stadium, he had seven family members in the stands, including his parents and grandparents.
Delgado didn’t see any game action on Friday or Saturday, but he was in the lineup at third base for Sunday’s finale against the Royals -- his Major League debut. But by that time, only his father, Arturo Delgado, and his stepmother remained in Kansas City. The other five members of his family, including his mother, had flown back home to Miami because they were scheduled to leave on a Caribbean cruise on Sunday.
“They had booked it in advance,” Raynel said. “You can't really predict these types of things, so my mom's side of the family went back to Miami so they could get on the cruise. My dad stayed back."
Raynel was born in Cuba and came with his mother, Yanely Pineiro, from Havana to Miami when he was 7 years old in 2007. His father had already been in Florida for three years, so they went a long time without seeing each other. When they were reunited, baseball was front and center.
“When I got to this country, he was the first one that gave me a ball and the first one that put a glove in my hand,” Raynel said. “So, he was very emotional that [debut] day, and just glad I could share that moment with him and see where it takes us. It's only the beginning.”
Delgado struck out and grounded out in his first two at-bats in Sunday’s game against the Royals before lining a 1-0 changeup from Royals starter Stephen Kolek into right field for his first career hit in the eighth inning. The ball was retrieved by the Astros so Delgado could keep it.
“It was a dream come true,” Raynel said. “There were a lot of years of sacrificing, a lot of ups, a lot of downs, and so just happy that we were able to get that first one down and just keep it up."
Raynel said it was a difficult process for him and his mother to come to the United States. She is a doctor and the government didn’t want her to leave, he said. She revalidated her doctor’s license, and now, she has an internist practice in Miami.
Raynel was drafted by Cleveland in the sixth round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and signed a Minor League deal with the Rays last November. He was slashing .250/.320/.362 with three homers, 33 RBIs and 24 steals at Durham, with games at third base (30), shortstop (19) and second base (seven).
The Astros had interest in signing Delgado in the offseason, but when veteran infielder Nick Allen landed on the injured list last week with a left hamstring strain, the Astros worked out a deal and sent cash to the Rays to acquire Delgado.
“It did take a long time [to reach the big leagues],” Delgado said. “I feel like right now it’s just helping the team win. That's the key to this whole thing. And it's a great team, a lot of talent in this team, and it's a team that's in the fight. … I’m going to do whatever's asked of me -- baserunning, defense, putting good at-bats together, getting on base. I know the role on the team and not try to get too big and enjoy the moment as well, but with that being said, the goal is to win a game every day.”