Marlins trade shortstop Jacob Amaya to the Astros

The Miami Marlins traded shortstop Jacob Amaya of El Monte, California to the Houston Astros for cash considerations and minor league right handed pitcher Vallente Bellozo of Mexicali, Mexico according to Nick Deeds of mlbtraderumors.com. Amaya is joining his second Major League Baseball team after playing his first  four Major League Baseball games last season with the Miami Marlins.

Amaya’s Statistics in 2023

Amaya batted .222 with two hits in nine at bats, and zero home runs and two runs batted in. He had nine plate appearances, scored one run, had one stolen base, two total bases, an on base percentage of .222 and a slugging percentage of .222.

In Amaya’s first Major League at bat, he had a RBI fielder’s choice to third base in the second inning, which scored catcher Nick Fortes of Miami, Florida. At the time, the Marlins took the 1-0 lead in a 4-2 Marlins win over the Washington Nationals on June 18. Amaya then had his first Major League Baseball stolen base later in the inning. Then in the fourth inning against the Nationals on June 18, Amaya recorded his first Major League hit. It was a single to left field off of Nationals’s starting pitcher Patrick Corbin of Clay, New York. Amaya would eventually score on a RBI single by Marlins right fielder Jorge Soler of La Habana, Cuba.

Amaya’s second Major League hit was a RBI pinch hit single to left field in the eighth inning in an 11-0 Marlins romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on June 19. Amaya closed out the scoring and scored pinch hitter Garrett Hampson of Reno. Nevada. What was so unique of Amaya’s hit against the Blue Jays is the fact it did not come against one of the Blue Jays’s regular pitchers, but third baseman Ernie Clement of Rochester, New York.

Slow Starts to 2024

Both the Astros and Marlins have had slow starts this season. The Astros are tied for last in the American League West with the Oakland Athletics at three wins and seven losses. The Marlins are the worst team in the Major Leagues at one win and nine losses.