The Tampa Bay Rays made Major League Baseball history Thursday when the team fielded a starting lineup of hitters that consisted entirely of Latino players.
Thursday marked the start of Hispanic Heritage Month and a day in which baseball celebrated its 21st annual Roberto Clemente Day to commemorate the late Hall of Famer from Puerto Rico. The players wore no. 21 jerseys to honor Clemente, a 15-time All-Star and 12-time Gold Glove Award winner. He helped lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to World Series titles in 1960 and 1971, prior to his death in 1972.
The top of the Rays’ lineup consisted of Yandy Díaz at third base, Randy Arozarena in right field, Wander Franco at shortstop, Harold Ramírez at first base and Manuel Margot as the designated hitter. Left fielder David Peralta was next in the order, followed by second baseman Isaac Paredes, catcher René Pinto and center fielder Jose Siri.
Díaz and Arozarena are from Cuba. Franco, Margot and Siri are from the Dominican Republic. Ramírez is from Colombia. Peralta and Pinto are from Venezuela, and Paredes is from Mexico.
For the first time in MLB history, a team’s lineup is made up of Latino players. This afternoon’s lineup of the Tampa Rays Rays is made up entirely of Latino players.@TonyMenendez21 pic.twitter.com/RdHJeuiQGa
— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) September 15, 2022
Left-handed pitcher Shane McClanahan started the game for Tampa Bay and pitched five scoreless innings in his return from the 15-day injured list.
(Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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