Spanish
San Francisco de Macorís. – The Gigantes del Cibao announced the signing of pitchers Richard Rodríguez, Ronel Blanco, and Enoli Paredes, in addition to outfielder Aristides Aquino, who join the team as free agents with the aim of strengthening the roster for the upcoming season of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League (LIDOM).
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Rodríguez, a 35-year-old reliever and native of Santiago, arrives with extensive experience in professional baseball. In nine seasons in the Dominican league, he has a record of 12-8 with an ERA of 3.06 in 138.1 innings pitched. In addition, he has 158 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.20, figures that reflect his consistency and leadership from the bullpen.
For his part, Blanco, a 32-year-old right-hander also from Santiago, has had experience as both a starter and a reliever in the Major Leagues. In his MLB career, he has a record of 18-11, with an ERA of 3.45, 273 strikeouts and a 1.19 WHIP in 274 innings of work. One of the most outstanding moments of his career occurred in 2024, when he pitched a no hitter, becoming one of the few Dominicans to achieve that feat in the Majors. In the Dominican winter circuit, Blanco has also shown dominance. In six seasons in LIDOM, he has an 8-1 record with an impressive 0.96 ERA, as well as 68 strikeouts in 56 innings and a 0.79 WHIP. Another arm joining the pitching staff is Paredes, a 30-year-old right-hander from El Limón, Samaná. The pitcher has four seasons of experience in the Major Leagues, where he has seen action with the Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, and Chicago Cubs. At that level, he has a record of 4-3 with a 3.00 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 54 innings pitched. In Dominican baseball, Paredes has four seasons with a 3-3 record and a 4.30 ERA in 54 innings, with 51 strikeouts. In terms of offense, the Giants add the powerful outfielder Aquino, 31 years old and from Santo Domingo. The batter stood out in the Major Leagues with the Cincinnati Reds, where he hit 41 home runs and drove in 108 runs, including a historic breakthrough in 2019 when he set home run records for a rookie during his first month in the Majors. Recently, Aquino also had a solid performance in the Mexican Baseball League, where he batted above .270, with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs in his last campaign. The Giants' operations manager, Jaylon Pimentel, expressed his satisfaction with these additions and highlighted that the team continues to strengthen its roster with quality players. "We are adding important arms to our pitching staff and a power bat like Aquino's for the offense. Our goal is to build a competitive team that can fight for the championship," said the executive. With these signings, the Gigantes del Cibao continue working on structuring a solid team for the upcoming LIDOM season, with the goal of returning to the title dispute.
