Kendrys Morales #8

Kendrys Rodriguez Morales...Resides in Miami, FL during the offseason with his wife, Yarley, and children Hanely and Kendrys Jr...As a Cuban amateur, owned a .330 batting average with 60 doubles, five triples, 37 home runs, and 170 RBI...Batted cleanup for the Cuban National Team at the Baseball World Cup tournament in Havana.

2017

His four homers to tie the game or give his team the lead from the 9th inning on were the most in MLB and tied for the most in team history (Bautista-2013, Donaldson-2015) ... Hit eight home runs in close-and-late-situations which tied with four others for the most in the Majors and tied for the 3rd most all-time by a Blue Jay (Bautista-10 in 2011, Delgado-9 in 1999, Smoak-8 in 2017) ... His 28 home runs ranked 4th among all switch-hitters ... Had five of his 24 career 4+ RBI games in 2017, all of which came vs. AL East Opponents (Aug. 31 at BAL-7, May 5 at TB-5, April 6 at TB-4, June 14 vs. TB-4, Sept. 4 at BOS-4) ... Hit a career-high .362 (46-for-127) vs. left-handed pitching, which was also 2nd best in the AL ... Struck out a career-high 132 times ... Grounded into 22 double plays, the most in the Majors ... Hit his 4th career grand slam on April 6 at TB (last: Aug. 16, 2016 vs. TOR)...Became the 9th player in franchise history to hit a grand slam for his 1st home run with the team (last: Yunel Escobar on July 18, 2010 at BAL)…It represented the 3rd time in club history that the team's 1st HR was a grand slam (George Bell-1990, Ed Sprague-1995) ... On April 15 vs. BAL, hit his 2nd HR of the season in the 9th inning for a walk-off victory…Was his 4th career walk-off HR, all of which had been with different teams ... Homered twice for his 1st multi-HR game as a Blue Jay (18th career) on May 5 at TB ... Left the game after two at-bats on May 9 vs. CLE with left hamstring tightness...Returned to the lineup on May 13 vs. SEA ... On May 18 at ATL, recorded his first four-hit effort since June 27, 2016 vs. STL (10th career 4+ hit game) ... Struck out multiple times in seven straight games from June 25-July 3, which tied Jayson Werth and Jimmy Nelson for the longest such streak in 2017 ... Hit 16 homers prior to the break, 3rd most all-time by a Toronto switch-hitter (Smoak-23 in 2017 and Cruz Jr.-20 in 2000) ... On July 16 at DET, hit a HR in the 1st inning for the first time since Sept. 16, 2016 at MIN (span of 22-HR in between) ... Hit his 2nd walk-off home run of the year (5th career) on July 26 vs. OAK...Became the 6th different Blue Jay to record multiple walk-off homers in a season (Pearce became the 7th on July 27 and 30) ... Homered three times on Aug. 31 at BAL to become the 17th different Blue Jay to hit 3+ HR in a game…Became the 37th player in MLB history to record a 3-HR game for two or more different teams...Recorded a career-high 7-RBI (previous: 6, 4x)…Became the 1st player in Jays history with 4-H, 3-HR and 7-RBI in a game and the 4th batter to reach 3+ HR and 7+ RBI in the same game (last: Michael Saunders, June 17, 2016 at BAL: 3-HR, 8-RBI)…Became one of two DH's in MLB history to have 3-HR, 7-RBI with four hits while scoring four times (Harold Baines - May 7, 1991 vs. BAL) ... Hit his 9th go-ahead HR of the season on Sept. 4 at BOS…It was the first go-ahead 3R-HR in the 1st inning by a Blue Jay at Fenway Park since Raul Mondesi on June 18, 2000.

2016

His 30 home runs in 2016 were the most he has hit since 2009 (34)…Was his second career 30+ home run season Struck out 120 times, a career-high...Recorded a season-high 14-game hitting streak Aug. 28-Sept. 12, posting a .375 (21-56) average over those contests...Collected his 1000th career hit Sept. 18 vs. CWS, a home run in the 6th inning off of Chris Beck...Hit .337 vs. LHP following the All-Star break, the highest average in baseball…Overall his .330 average against lefties in 2016 ranked as the 8th highest in the AL...Grounded into 20 double plays in 112 opportunities (17.9%), the 11th highest rate in baseball last season...Posted a .311 average with RISP…In those situations with two outs, hit .296/.367/.620...Issued a one-game suspension Aug. 4 after returning to the field following his ejection in the 9th inning Aug. 3 at TB…Would appeal the suspension, but ultimately served it Aug. 11.

2015

Kendrys had a rebound year in his first season in Kansas City...recorded his highest totals in doubles (41) and RBI (106) since his breakout 2009 campaign with the Angels...also set a career high with 58 walks...Earned a Louisville Silver Slugger Award, the first by a Royal since Billy Butler in 2012...also named the Edgar Martinez Award recipient as the league's most outstanding DH...he was the third Royal to be named the Outstanding DH, joining Hal McRae (1976, 1980, 1982) and Billy Butler (2012)...Tied for fourth in the A.L. in doubles and ranked sixth in RBI...became the first Royal to drive in 100+ runs in a season since Billy Butler had 107 RBI in 2012...Led the American League and ranked second in the Majors with 53 two-out RBI, trailing only Colorado's Nolan Arenado (59)...his 53 two-out RBI were the most in franchise history, passing Joe Randa's 46 in 2000...hit 11 of his 22 home runs with two outs...ranked fifth in the A.L., hitting .337 (68-for-202) with two outs...Named the Majestic Royals Player of the Month for September/October, batting .323 with six doubles, a triple, seven homers and 16 RBI during the month...he also scored 22 runs in September/October, which tied for fifth in the A.L...He also hit .315 with seven doubles, three homers and 17 RBI during the month of April...tied for the A.L. lead with 24 RBI during the month of July...Had a season-best 11-game hitting streak from June 17-28, where he batted .357...Enjoyed a career day on September 20 in Detroit, going 4-for-4 with three homers and a triple...he became the first Royal to hit three home runs in a game since Danny Tartabull did it vs. Oakland on June 3, 1991...his 15 total bases in the game set a Royals franchise record, while it was the first three-homer game of his career...Also collected four hits and four RBI vs. the Tigers on September 3 in a 15-7 triumph at 'The K'...His 21 RBI vs. Detroit were tied for the second-most by a player against any team this season, trailing only Colorado's Nolan Arenado, who had 24 RBI vs. the Giants... Had his first multi-homer game on May 22 vs. St. Louis, homering twice off Lance Lynn...he accounted for all five runs in the 5-0 victory...he became the second player in the last 10 years to account for all the runs in a game with five RBI or more, joining Pittsburgh's Neil Walker, who did it in a 5-0 win at Wrigley Field in 2012... Recorded his fifth career walk-off hit, singling in the winning run in the 10th to beat the Angels, 4-3 on August 16.

2014

Kendrys signed a two-year contract with the Royals on December 16, with a mutual option for the 2017 season...Did not sign as a free agent with Minnesota until June 8, missing the first two months of the regular season...Split the season between Seattle and Minnesota, after being acquired by the Mariners on July 24 in exchange for RHP Stephen Pryor...Hit seven home runs over his last 43 games (with Seattle), while going deep just once in his first 55 games…recorded...His 12th career multi-homer game (September 5) at Texas with a pair of two-run shots...Most productive month came in August, when he hit .255 (25-for-98) with four doubles, three homers and 14 RBI in 26 games...Had a .381 slugging percentage vs. left-handed pitching, while he slugged just .313 against righties.

2012

Hit .273 (132x484) with 22 home runs and 73 RBI...marked first season full season of action since 2009 after missing all of 2011 and part of 2010 with a left lower leg injury ... On Opening Day, collected first Major League hit since a walk-off grand slam on May 29, 2010 vs. Seattle (span of 678 days) ... Hit 14 of 22 homers following the All-Star break ... Batted .280 (116x414) with 17 home runs and 58 RBI left-handed and .229 (16x70) with 5 home runs and 15 RBI right-handed...ranked 3rd in the AL (8th in MLB) in batting by a switch hitter ... Homered from both sides of the plate and drove in 6 RBI in the sixth inning July 30 at Texas...became the third player in MLB history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning (also, Carlos Baerga w/CLE, April 8, 1993 & Mark Bellhorn w/CHI, Aug. 29, 2002).

2011

Did not participate during 2011 campaign...Opened season on 15-day D.L. before being transferred to 60-day D.L. July 20...Underwent a second surgery May 26 to clean out scar tissue and debris in the left ankle joint...A bone graft was also performed...Procedure done by Dr. Thomas Clanton in Vail, Colorado...Morales originally suffered injuries to his left ankle at the conclusion of the May 29, 2010 game vs. Seattle with initial surgery taking place June 10, 2010.

2010

Limited to 51 games after suffering fractured lower left leg following his game-ending grand slam in 10th inning on May 29, 2010 vs. Seattle...Placed on 60-day D.L. May 30th...Underwent surgery on June 10th at the Orange Surgery Center in Orange, CA...Procedure was performed by Dr. Phil Kwong (Foot & Ankle Specialist with Kerlan-Jobe Clinic)...At time of injury, he was leading Angels in average (.290), home runs (11), total bases (94) and RBI (39)...Was on-pace for a career-best 35 home runs and 124 RBI and was the only Angel to appear in all 51 games...His 30 home runs since the 2009 All-Star break were most in A.L. in the span at time of injury...Named A.L. Player of the Week for week ending April 25...In seven games, hit a Major League-best .542 (13/24) with seven runs scored, 22 total bases, three home runs and an A.L. best 10 RBI...Marked his second career weekly award (previous: 8/3/09)...Launched 50th career HR on April 22nd in his 295th career game - 4th fastest in club history.

2009

Breakout season for the Cuban native as he was voted Angels' Team MVP in his first full campaign with the club...Finished 5th in AL MVP voting...Batted .306 (173/566), with 86 runs, 43 doubles, 2 triples, 34 doubles and 108 RBI...Set Angels' single-season HR record for a switch hitter with 34 (previous mark of 28 by C. Davis in '96) and most total bases by a switch-hitter (322)...32 of 34 HRs came batting lefthanded and logged five multi-HR games...His 33 HRs were most by an Angels' first baseman since Mo Vaughn slugged a club-record 34 in 2000... First Angels' first baseman with 100 RBI since Vaughn in 2000 (117)...Ranked high among AL leaders in several power categories - 34 HRs (6th in AL), 108 RBI (T5th in AL), .569 slugging pct. (2nd in AL) and 79 extra-base hits (3rd in AL)...Named A.L. Player of the Month for August, a month after Bobby Abreu took monthly honors in July... Batted .385 (42/109) 10 home runs and 33 RBI in 28 games with an MLB-best .734 slugging pct. and a .409 on-base pct...33 RBI set a new club record for August...Fell just one RBI of matching club record for RBI in any month (34 by Don Baylor in July 1979 and Jim Edmonds in July 1995)...Had the finest offensive night of his career Aug. 28 vs. Oak. (5/5, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI)...13 total bases fell two shy of tying the club record...The four extra-base hits tied a club record (8th player, last, J. Rivera, 9/13/08 vs. SEA)...Named A.L. Player of the Week for the period ending Aug. 2...Hit .423 (11/26) and led Majors with five HRs, 13 RBI and 28 total bases in six games...Set career-high with 6 RBI, Aug. 2 at Minnesota...Had career-best 20-game hit streak June 24-July 22 (.372; 29/78), longest streak by Angel this season...Just sixth Angel this decade with a hit streak of 20 or more games...Walk-off RBI single with two outs in 9th May 31 vs. Seattle (2nd game-ending hit of career)...Made first career Opening Day start as he took over at first base after departures of Mark Teixeira (free agent) and Casey Kotchman (trade)...18th Cuban native to appear with Angels.

2008

Had four separate stints with Angels in 2008...21 of 27 games played came in September...Logged all three home runs and eight RBI in the month...Connected for first of three consecutive home runs by Angels in 7th inning. Sept. 18 at Oakland (Morales, Napoli and Wood)...Made four starts at first base, four starts in right field and two starts as DH...Batted .341 (108/317) with 46 runs scored, 19 doubles, 15 home runs and 64 RBI in 78 games for triple-A Salt Lake...Missed time due to right oblique strain...Named Organizational Player of the Month for May (.352, 6 HR, 17 RBI).

2007

Hit safely in 16 of 21 games batting .324 (24/74) after his recall Aug. 24...Hit safely in 28 of last 33 games between triple-A Salt Lake and Angels...Had career-best 12-game hit streak (Aug. 24-Sept. 6)... Batted .483 (14/29) with Angels in August...Collected first career walk-off hit Sept. 7 vs. Cleveland in 10th inning (one of 10 walk-off hits for Angels in 2007)...On back-end of consecutive home runs with G. Matthews in 4th inning Aug. 28 at Seattle...Made 13 starts as DH with Angels...Last optioned to Salt Lake, July 24...Was riding a 12-game hit streak at Salt Lake and hitting .438 (32/73) with four home runs and 17 RBI in 18 games in August with Bees...Hit a team-best .341 (87/255) with 42 runs scored, 20 doubles, five home runs and 37 RBI in 64 games with Salt Lake.

2006

Morales began strong, hitting .409 with two home runs and six RBIs in his first five Major League games. Started at first base for the Angels from late May to late July, then he was sent back to Triple-A Salt Lake as his average slumped to .238. By hitting a home run in his Major League debut on May 23, he became the 24th player in franchise history to do so. Morales added two more hits in the game to become just the third Angel to collect three hits in their first Major League appearance. He batted .320 with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs in 66 games for Salt Lake. He is the eighth Cuban native to appear with the Angels and the first since Luis Tiant in 1982.

2005

Did not begin playing in Angels system until late May as his arrival to United States was delayed while trying to obtain Dominican citizenship and a passport needed to procure an American visa...Finally joined Class A Rancho Cucamonga on May 21 and homered on second pitch he saw in first game vs. Visalia...Finished contest 3-for-5 with 1 HR and 3 RBI...In 22 games with Quakes playing mostly first base, hit .344 (31/90) with 5 HRs and 17 RBI before promotion to Double-A Arkansas...Struggled in first 12 games with Travs, batting .156 (7/45) with no home runs and five RBI before exploding for 3-HR, 5-RBI game June 28 vs. San Antonio... Enjoyed 15-game hit streak (Aug. 15-29) and homered in four consecutive games (July 30-Aug. 3)...Named Texas League Player of Week, Aug. 22-28 and Angels' Organizational Player of Month for August (.364, 10 HR, 22 RBI)...Finished batting .306 (86/281) with 17 home runs and 54 RBI in 74 games with Arkansas, playing 60 games at first base (1 E)...One of Arkansas' top performers in seven post-season games, hitting .321 (9/29) with 4 HR and 9 RBI, as Travs won Eastern League Championship before losing to Midland in Championship Series...Selected to play in MLB Futures Game (World Team) during the All-Star break in Detroit...Played for Scottsdale in Arizona Fall League and led league with 14 doubles and ranked tied for third with .380 average.

2004

Did not play baseball as he was banned from the sport in Cuba in late 2003 for attempting to leave the country...Was paid $5 per month while playing in Cuban National League...Agreed to six-year Major League contract with Angels, Dec. 1, 2004...Deal became official after receiving clearance to enter into a contract with the Angels from the U. S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

2002

In 2002-03, posted .391 average with nine home runs and 42 RBI for the Industriales in the Cuban National League...At conclusion of season, batted cleanup for Cuban National Team at Baseball World Cup tournament in Havana...Hit grand slam to help Cuba to 6-3 win over Taiwan in final as Cuba claimed the Gold Medal.

2001

In 2001-02, was selected as Rookie of the Year while playing for Havana Industriales...Set rookie records in runs (60), hits (114), home runs (21), extra-base hits (46) and RBI (82)...Broke 30-year old RBI record and at the age of 19, was the first teenager to star for Cuba's National Team since Omar Linares.

1999

Played for Cuban team in Pan-American Championships, throwing nine innings in 2-0 win over Mexico.

1998

Was Most Valuable Player for Cuban Junior Team and played on All-Star Team at Pan-American Championships.