Cuban infielder Andy Ibáñez made a significant impact on Saturday by hitting his first home run for the Tacoma Rainiers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, leading his team to a 15-11 victory over the Sacramento River Cats.
According to reports from Pelota Cubana on social media, Ibáñez entered the game as a substitute and finished with one hit in two at-bats, scoring once and driving in two runs.
The home run came in the top of the eighth inning with a runner on base. Ibáñez launched the ball over the left-center field fence, extending Tacoma's lead to 13-10. The homer came off a 91.8 mph sinker, leaving his bat at 99.6 mph and traveling 394 feet.
The Road Back to the Majors
This marked Ibáñez's sixth home run of the season in the Minor Leagues, pushing his RBI total to 25 in this developmental league. In just five games with Tacoma, the 33-year-old is batting .188, with two doubles, one homer, and three RBIs.
The Mariners signed him to a Minor League deal on August 18 and assigned him to Tacoma on the same day, just five days after the New York Mets released him on August 13.
A Year of Challenges and Changes
The 2026 season has been turbulent for the Havana native. With the Mets in the Major Leagues, he managed only two hits in 23 at-bats (.087 average) across 14 games. However, he hit .299 with four homers and 21 RBIs in 137 at-bats for Triple-A Syracuse within the same organization.
Before joining the Mets, Ibáñez had a brief stint with the Dodgers, who signed him in January 2026 but designated him for assignment just a few weeks later. New York claimed him off waivers on April 30.
Past Achievements and Future Plans
Ibáñez brings six seasons of Major League experience, having played with the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Athletics, and Mets, boasting a career average close to .250, with 28 home runs and over 128 RBIs. His standout season was in 2021 with Texas, hitting .277 with seven homers and 25 RBIs in 76 games.
The Detroit Tigers released him in November 2025 after three seasons in which he batted .251, with 20 home runs and 94 RBIs over 304 games.
In addition to his pursuit of an MLB return, Ibáñez is already set to participate in the Dominican winter league, playing for the Leones del Escogido in the LIDOM for the 2026-2027 season, which begins on October 16.
Andy Ibáñez's Pursuit of MLB Return: Key Questions Answered
What teams has Andy Ibáñez played for in MLB?
Andy Ibáñez has played for the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Athletics, and the New York Mets in Major League Baseball.
How did Ibáñez perform with the Mets in 2026?
With the Mets in 2026, Ibáñez struggled, recording only two hits in 23 at-bats, resulting in a batting average of .087 over 14 games.
What are Ibáñez's plans for the winter league?
Andy Ibáñez is set to play in the Dominican winter league with the Leones del Escogido for the 2026-2027 season, starting on October 16.