Astros sign Cuban baseball star Yulieski Gourriel to 5-year deal

The Houston Astros have come to a five year deal with Yulieski Gourriel, who defected from Cuba earlier this year after a star studded career there.

For the last two decades, Major League Baseball has gone out of their way to throw top dollars at players who have risked their lives, their families and possibly their freedom by attempting to leave the island nation of Cuba for a better life in the United States.

The most recent player to fit that description would be Yulieski Gourriel. At one point the top player on the country’s national team, Gurriel finally was able to defect during a tournament earlier this year in the Dominican Republic.

After being shopped around to different teams throughout the majors, including the New York Mets and the San Diego Padres, Gourriel has come to a big deal with one American League club – a deal that means he won’t have to worry about wanting anything for the rest of his life:

It’s a win-win situation for both sides. The Astros get some much needed hep both at the plate and on the left side of their infield, while Gourriel gets to play in a league where, at the age of 32, he doesn’t have to play in the field every single day and can spend time in the designated hitter role, thus not tiring himself out as he enters the next phase.

With relations continuing to thaw between the two countries and the door possibly opening to players from Cuba being able to come over without risking prison time if caught, it will be interesting to see if more and more players will get a chance to capitalize.

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