Wilmer Difo
Difo with the Washington Nationals in 2017
Free agent
Second baseman / Shortstop
Born: (1992-04-02) April 2, 1992
Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 19, 2015, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.250
Home runs19
Runs batted in103
Teams

Wilmer Francisco Difo (born April 2, 1992) is a Dominican professional baseball utility infielder who is a free agent. Difo made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2015 with the Washington Nationals and has also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has made the majority of his major league appearances as a second baseman, shortstop, or third baseman, with more limited stints as an outfielder.

Career

Washington Nationals

Difo signed with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent on June 3, 2010. He made his professional debut that season for the Dominican Summer League Nationals. From 2010 to 2013, he played for the Gulf Coast Nationals, Auburn Doubledays, Hagerstown Suns and Potomac Nationals. Difo played the 2014 season with Hagerstown.[1] He was named the 2014 South Atlantic League Most Valuable Player (MVP) with a .315 batting average, a .360 on-base percentage and a .470 slugging average, with 14 home runs and 90 runs batted in.[2][3] He received the Bob Boone Award from the Nationals, which "recognizes professionalism and passion".[4][5] Difo started 2015 with the Potomac Nationals and was promoted to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators after 19 games.[6]

On May 19, 2015, Difo was called up to the major leagues for the first time and collected his first hit in his first at-bat the same day, a pinch-hit single up the middle off New York Yankees reliever David Carpenter.[7] Difo hit his first career home run on September 29, 2016, off Arizona Diamondbacks starter and former Nationals pitching prospect Robbie Ray.[8] On October 14, 2016, he struck out for the game's last out as a pinch hitter[9] as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Nationals 4–3 to win the National League Division Series.

Difo received his first career start in the outfield on June 24, 2017, playing center field against the Cincinnati Reds due to an injury to regular center fielder Michael A. Taylor.[10] After Trea Turner suffered a broken wrist in a game days later, Difo took over as the Nationals' regular starting shortstop, occasionally sharing duties with Stephen Drew and Adrián Sánchez.[11][12][13] On July 27, 2017, Difo hit one of four consecutive home runs by Nationals hitters off Milwaukee Brewers starter Michael Blazek, the first time the feat had been accomplished in Major League Baseball since the 2011 season.[14]

Splitting time between the Majors and Minors in 2019, Difo appeared in 43 games with the Nationals and had a .252 average with two home runs and eight RBIs. The Nationals finished the year with a 93–69 record, able to clinch a wild card spot. Difo did not play in the postseason, but was on the Nationals' 40-man roster when the team won the 2019 World Series over the Houston Astros, their first championship in franchise history.[15]

On September 5, 2020, Difo was designated for assignment by the Nationals. He cleared waivers and was assigned to the team's alternate training site in Fredericksburg, Virginia.[16] Difo elected free agency on October 13, 2020.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Difo with the Indianapolis Indians in 2021

On January 15, 2021, Difo signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.[17] On April 4, 2021, Difo was selected to the 40-man roster to fill in for Ke'Bryan Hayes, who was suffering from left wrist inflammation.[18] On May 22, 2021, against the Atlanta Braves, Difo pitched one inning in a blowout, giving up eight runs on six hits, including a grand slam. It was his first career pitching appearance.[19] On June 8, Difo was designated for assignment after posting a .244/.287/.366 batting line in 44 games for the Pirates. He was outrighted to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians on June 12.[20] Difo was re-selected to the active roster on July 2.[21] Difo hit .269/.329/.384 with 4 home runs and 24 RBI in 116 games for the Pirates. On November 6, 2021, Difo was outrighted from the 40-man roster and elected free agency the next day.[22]

Arizona Diamondbacks

On March 19, 2022, Difo signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.[23] On September 1, Difo's contract was selected and was promoted to the major league roster.[24]

On September 12, Difo was designated for assignment. On September 19, he cleared waivers, but elected free agency.

New York Yankees

On December 23, 2022, Difo signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees.[25] He elected free agency on November 6. [26]

Personal life

During the 2017 season, Difo attracted some media attention for his choice of walk-up music, as he frequently had romantic ballads like "Unchained Melody" and "My Girl" added to his rotation. Although some of Difo's teammates told The Washington Post they assumed someone was playing a joke on the young infielder, Difo explained to the paper, "I love those songs."[27]

Difo chose to go by the nickname El Lindo, Spanish for "the beautiful one", for MLB Players' Weekend in 2017. The nickname was reportedly given to him by Nationals teammate Adam Lind.[28]

References

  1. ↑ "Byron Kerr: Difo making noise for Hagerstown after focused offseason training". MASNsports. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Wilmer Difo wins South Atlantic League MVP". Washington Post. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Suns' Difo, Giolito voted brightest stars South Atlantic League has to offer". Herald Mail Media. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Lucas Giolito, Wilmer Difo visit Nationals Park to receive minor league awards". Washington Post. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Top Nats prospects Giolito and Difo take in Nationals Park". Comcast SportsNet Washington. 3 December 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  6. ↑ Mick Reinhard (May 1, 2015). "Highly regarded Washington Nationals' prospect Wilmer Difo promoted to Harrisburg". pennlive.
  7. ↑ Fendrich, Howard (May 19, 2015). "Zimmerman's HR off Miller in 10th leads Nats past Yanks 8-6". CBS Sports. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  8. ↑ Reddington, Patrick (September 29, 2016). "Washington Nationals 5-3 over Arizona D-backs: Joe Ross, Pedro Severino, Wilmer Difo lead Nats". Federal Baseball. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Dodgers 4, Nationals 3 (Final Score) on MLB Gameday". MLB.com.
  10. ↑ Collier, Jamal (June 24, 2017). "Baker, Nats satisfied with Difo's CF debut". MLB.com. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  11. ↑ Paras, Matthew (July 5, 2017). "Trea Turner's three-man backup committee working so far". The Washington Times. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  12. ↑ Torres, Aaron (August 10, 2017). "After a shaky July, the Nationals' Adrian Sanchez has found his groove at the plate". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  13. ↑ Reddington, Patrick (August 9, 2017). "Washington Nationals' infielder Wilmer Difo taking and applying advice and impressing..." Federal Baseball. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  14. ↑ Castillo, Jorge (July 27, 2017). "Back-to-back-to-back-to-back: Nats club four homers in a row and eight in four innings". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Washington Nationals win 2019 World Series". MLB. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  16. ↑ @TalkNats (September 7, 2020). "Official: The #Nats have assigned INF Wilmer Difo to the Alternate Training Site (Fredericksburg). He has accepted…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. ↑ "Pirates To Sign Wilmer Difo". MLB Trade Rumors. 15 January 2021.
  18. ↑ "Pirates Designate Tyler Bashlor For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors. 4 April 2021.
  19. ↑ "Acuña, Adrianza hit grand slams, Braves rout Pirates 20-1". ESPN.com. May 20, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Pirates Outright Wilmer Difo". MLB Trade Rumors. 13 June 2021.
  21. ↑ "Pirates Select Wilmer Difo". MLB Trade Rumors. 2 July 2021.
  22. ↑ "Pirates outright seven players; Southpaw Chasen Shreve elects free agency". Yardbarker.com. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  23. ↑ Mark Polishuk (March 20, 2022). "Diamondbacks Sign Wilmer Difo To Minors Contract". MLBTradeRumors.com. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  24. ↑ "D-backs designate RHP Noe Ramirez, select INF Wilmer Difo". September 2022.
  25. ↑ "Joel Sherman on X". Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  26. ↑ https://www.milb.com/transactions/2023-11-06
  27. ↑ Castillo, Jorge (May 30, 2017). "The story behind Wilmer Difo's walk-up music". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  28. ↑ Collier, Jamal (August 25, 2017). "Explaining Nats Players Weekend nicknames". MLB.com. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
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