José Reyes (infielder)
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José Bernabe Reyes (born June 11, 1983) is a Dominican-American former
professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professiona ...
infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles. ...
. He played, most notably at
shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...
, in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB) for the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major lea ...
,
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The fra ...
,
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
, and
Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fi ...
. Reyes is a four-time MLB All-Star. He led MLB in triples in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011. Reyes also led the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL) in stolen bases in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He was the NL batting champion in 2011. He is also the New York Mets' all-time leader in triples and stolen bases.


Minor league career

Reyes was spotted by
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major lea ...
scouts during a tryout camp in
Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whos ...
in the summer of 1999. After initial concerns over Reyes' slight frame, the Mets offered him a contract, which he signed on August 16, 1999. Despite traditionally sending youngsters to play in their Dominican academy, the Mets made an exception with Reyes and sent him to the
Kingsport Mets The Kingsport Mets were a Minor League Baseball team of the Appalachian League from 1921 to 2020. They were located in Kingsport, Tennessee, and were last named for the team's major league affiliate, the New York Mets. The team played its home ga ...
of the Rookie-level
Appalachian League The Appalachian League is a collegiate summer baseball league that operates in the Appalachian regions of Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Designed for rising freshmen and sophomores using wood bats, its season runs from J ...
for the 2000 season. He finished the season with a .250 batting average in 49 games. For the 2001 season, Reyes was assigned to the Capital City Bombers of the Class A
South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...
. He excelled both in the field and at the plate, hitting .307 with 42 extra-base hits and winning the Player of the Year award. After being invited to
spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...
with the major league Mets, Reyes began the 2002 season with the St. Lucie Mets in the
Class A-Advanced High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A followi ...
. In the first three months of the season, he demonstrated that he could handle the step up, and was promoted to the
Binghamton Mets The Binghamton Rumble Ponies are an American Minor League Baseball team based in Binghamton, New York. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club. The Rumble Ponies play in Mirab ...
of the Double-A
Eastern League Eastern League may refer to: Baseball in the United States ''Most recent leagues listed first'' * Eastern League (1938–present), a minor league established in 1923 and renamed Eastern League in 1938, at the Double-A level * Eastern League (1916 ...
. In his first game, Reyes had 5 hits and 4 RBIs, and he completed the season with a .287 average, 27 steals and 26 extra-base hits in 65 games. On December 15, 2002, the Mets traded starting shortstop
Rey Ordóñez Reynaldo Ordóñez Pereira (born January 11, 1971) is a former professional baseball shortstop. He played nine seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Chicago Cubs. Early life Ordóñez defected from ...
to the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home ve ...
. Two weeks later the Mets signed veteran Rey Sánchez to a one-year deal, with the plan being to allow Reyes to mature in the minors while Sanchez kept the big-league spot warm for him. Reyes spent the first two months of the 2003 season with the
Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapea ...
of the Triple-A
International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ( ...
, where he batted .269 and stole 26 bases in just 42 games. Injuries to
Mike Piazza Michael Joseph Piazza ( ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former professional baseball catcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1992 to 2007. He currently serves as the manager of the Italian national baseball te ...
and Mo Vaughn had contributed to the Mets' poor performance in the
National League East The National League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. Along with the American League Central it is one of two divisions to have every member win at least one World Series title. The division was created when the National Leag ...
, and eventually convinced manager
Art Howe Arthur Henry Howe Jr. (born December 15, 1946) is an American former professional baseball infielder, coach, scout, and manager, who appeared as a player in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates (–), Houston Astros (–), and ...
to begin playing some of the team's younger talent. When Rey Sánchez strained his thumb on June 5, 2003, Reyes received his call-up to the majors, just a day before his 20th birthday.


Major League career


New York Mets (2003–11)


2003–05

Reyes made his major league debut on June 10, 2003 against the Texas Rangers, the day before his 20th birthday, going 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored in a 9–7 loss. Reyes was the first teenager to play for the Mets since
Gregg Jefferies Gregory Scott Jefferies (born August 1, 1967) is a retired infielder/outfielder in Major League Baseball who had a 14-year career from 1987 to 2000. He was a highly touted prospect who became the first two-time winner of the ''Baseball America' ...
in 1987, and the first to start a game since
Dwight Gooden Dwight Eugene Gooden (born November 16, 1964), nicknamed "Dr. K" and "Doc", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Gooden pitched from 1984 to 1994 and from 1996 to 2000 for the ...
in 1984. After the game, Reyes collected the ball from his first career hit and sent it to his parents. Over the following weeks Reyes' impressive form continued, including a grand slam off Jarrod Washburn in an 8–0 victory over the Angels. When Rey Sánchez completed his month-long spell on the DL, Reyes' strong play moved Sánchez to the bench. Reyes' season was cut short a month early by a sprained ankle, but he still managed to compile impressive rookie numbers. In 69 games, he batted .307 with 32 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. Reyes finished 8th in voting for the 2003 NL Rookie of the Year. Prior to the 2004 season, the Mets signed Japanese star
Kazuo Matsui is a Japanese retired professional baseball player who played as a shortstop and is the current manager of the Saitama Seibu Lions. He is a switch-hitter. Matsui signed with the New York Mets on December 17, 2003, becoming the first Japanese i ...
, whose only condition upon signing was that he got a chance to play his regular position, shortstop. As a result, Reyes was asked to learn second base duties. Early on in the season, Reyes strained a hamstring and remained on the DL until June 19. When he returned, the Mets were involved in a close race in the
National League East The National League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. Along with the American League Central it is one of two divisions to have every member win at least one World Series title. The division was created when the National Leag ...
with the Marlins,
Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citize ...
, and Braves. However, a back problem for Reyes and injuries to other key Mets players led to a collapse and instead of being involved in a pennant race, the team found itself fighting to stay out of last place in the division. By the end of the season, Reyes had returned to his preferred position of shortstop, with Matsui moving to second base. Reyes ended a disappointing season with a batting average of .255, 14 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases in 53 games. At the age of 21, Reyes was handed the leadoff spot in the Mets' lineup in his first full season in the major leagues. Despite struggling slightly with his plate discipline — he had only 27 walks in a league-high 733 plate appearances — he finished the season with solid numbers. In 161 games he had 48 extra-base hits, 58 RBIs and 60 stolen bases. Reyes led the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
in stolen bases and led the majors in triples. However, he also led all National League shortstops with 18 errors.


2006–07

During spring training in 2006, the Mets brought in former player
Rickey Henderson Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson (born December 25, 1958) is an American retired professional baseball left fielder who played his 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four separate tenures with hi ...
as a specialist instructor. One of the reasons Henderson was hired was to help tutor Reyes in the arts of getting on base and stealing bases — skills at which Henderson excelled throughout his own career. Reyes won Player of the Week honors in the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
for the weeks beginning June 12 and 19, becoming the first Mets player to be named the NL Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks since Jesse Orosco in 1983. During this two-week period Reyes had 30 hits in 57 at-bats (a .526 batting average) and raised his season batting average from .246 to .302. On June 21, 2006 in a 6–5 loss against the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
Reyes
hit for the cycle In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter who hits a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are rare in Major League B ...
, becoming the ninth player in team history to do so. Reyes' outgoing personality began to make him a fan favorite in New York. He became well known for the elaborate handshakes he creates with his teammates to celebrate runs scored. In his spots as "Professor Reyes", Reyes taught the Shea faithful the Spanish language between innings on the stadium's Diamond Vision screen, helping to make him one of the Mets' most popular players. On August 3, 2006, Reyes signed a four-year, $23.25 million contract extension with the Mets, thereby avoiding salary arbitration. The contract includes an $11 million option for 2011 with a buy-out of $500,000 if the Mets do not pick up the option. Reyes also received a $1.5 million signing bonus. On August 15, 2006, Reyes hit three
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s in an 11–4 loss against the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
at
Citizens Bank Park Citizens Bank Park is a baseball stadium located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the city's South Philadelphia Sports Complex. It is the home playing field of the Philadelphia Phillies, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise. The ...
in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
. Two days later, he became the second player in Mets history to record at least 50 stolen bases in consecutive seasons. On September 7, 2006, Reyes hit the first
inside-the-park home run In baseball, an inside-the-park home run is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of the field of play. It is also known as an "inside-the-parker", "in-the-park home run", or "in-the-park homer". Discussion To score ...
of his career, against the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
at
Shea Stadium Shea Stadium (), formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City.
. Reyes was timed at 14.81 seconds for his dash around the bases — the equivalent of running a circular 100-meter dash in about 13.5 seconds. As the 2006 season wound down, Reyes was in pursuit of an unusual feat — reaching 20 home runs, 20 triples, 20 doubles, and 20 stolen bases. Reyes finished the 2006 regular season with an average of .300, 19 home runs, 81 RBIs, 122 runs, and 64 stolen bases in 153 games. He increased his on-base percentage by 54 points, and his slugging percentage was almost 100 points higher than in 2005. Reyes' walk rate nearly doubled — in 30 fewer plate appearances, he went from 27 walks to 53. He also showed similar improvement in the field — in 2006 he had a range factor of 3.86, the lowest of all major league shortstops. Reyes picked up a
Silver Slugger Award The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball. These voters ...
, was called up to his first
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or d ...
, and finished 7th in NL MVP voting. The Mets clinched their spot in the playoffs, and Reyes experienced the postseason for the first time in his career. He made his playoff debut on October 4, 2006, against the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
in the 2006 National League Division Series. Though he hit just .167 for the series, he came up big in key situations, scoring the winning run in Game 1, driving in the go-ahead run in Game 2, and knocking in the game-tying run in the 6th inning of Game 3. In Game 6 of the
2006 National League Championship Series The 2006 National League Championship Series (NLCS), the second round of the 2006 National League playoffs, began on October 12 and ended on October 19; it was scheduled to begin on October 11, but was postponed a day because of inclement weather ...
against the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
and facing elimination, Reyes hit a leadoff home run in the first inning to jump start his team and help force a deciding Game 7, which the Mets went on to lose, 3–1. In November 2006, Reyes participated in the
Major League Baseball Japan All-Star Series The MLB Japan All-Star Series is an irregular end-of-the-season tour of Japan made by an All-Star team from Major League Baseball (MLB) since 1986, contested in a best-of format against the All-Stars from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) or ...
along with teammates John Maine and
David Wright David Allen Wright (born December 20, 1982) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire 14-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the New York Mets. He was drafted by the Mets in 2001 MLB draft and made h ...
. He hit a two-run walk-off home run in the 10th inning of Game 5, giving the MLB team their first sweep of their NPB rivals. On July 12, 2007, Reyes hit the ninth leadoff home run of his career against
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
pitcher Bronson Arroyo, setting a new record for the franchise. In August, Reyes stole his 50th base of the year, becoming the first New York baseball player to steal 50 or more bases in three consecutive seasons. On August 22, 2007, Reyes stole his 65th, 66th, and 67th bases and broke
Roger Cedeño Roger Leandro Cedeño (born August 16, 1974) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder. He played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 to 2005 for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, ...
's Mets record for the most stolen bases in a single season. August also saw Reyes tie the Mets record for stealing at least one base in four straight games. In the last month of the season, Reyes' struggles were seen to be a key component of the Mets' late-season collapse. He batted .205 and had an on-base percentage of only .279. His struggles brought much criticism from Mets fans. On the second-to-last day of the regular season he was involved in a benches-clearing brawl against the Florida Marlins, which started when Miguel Olivo charged across the diamond and threw a punch at Reyes. Olivo would be ejected from the game and Reyes was allowed to stay in. The Mets would win the game 13–0. Reyes finished the season with a .280 batting average, 60 extra-base hits, 12 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 78 stolen bases in 160 games.


2008–09

In spring training and the early part of the 2008 season, Reyes vocalized a plan to focus a little more on baseball, and a little less on the theatrics — such as his dugout dances after home runs — that drew criticism during the late part of 2007 when the Mets were struggling. One of the casualties of this change of focus was the "Professor Reyes" segment played between innings at Shea where he taught the fans Spanish words and phrases. This was replaced by "Maine Street USA" with John Maine, and "Do The Wright Thing" with
David Wright David Allen Wright (born December 20, 1982) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire 14-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the New York Mets. He was drafted by the Mets in 2001 MLB draft and made h ...
, which failed to match the popularity of Reyes' spots. However, with some prodding by his teammates, Reyes was encouraged to continue playing with the same energy as he had previously. On July 3, Reyes' childhood friend Argenis Reyes was called up from the Triple-A
New Orleans Zephyrs New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...
. When Argenis played, he and José made up the middle infield for the Mets, with Argenis Reyes at second base. On July 20, Reyes overtook
Mookie Wilson William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson (born February 9, 1956) is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and coach remembered as the Met who hit the ground ball that rolled through Bill Buckner's legs in the bottom of the 10th inning of g ...
as the Mets' all-time triples leader after legging out his 63rd career triple in the fourth inning of a game against the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. On September 10, Reyes broke the Mets' all-time record for stolen bases, previously held by
Mookie Wilson William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson (born February 9, 1956) is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and coach remembered as the Met who hit the ground ball that rolled through Bill Buckner's legs in the bottom of the 10th inning of g ...
, with his 282nd career stolen base coming in the third inning of a game against the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
. After stealing second to break the record, he then stole third and scored the go-ahead run on a single by
David Wright David Allen Wright (born December 20, 1982) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire 14-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career for the New York Mets. He was drafted by the Mets in 2001 MLB draft and made h ...
. On September 23, 2008, Reyes achieved his first 200-hit season with a bases-clearing triple. He is the second Mets player to reach this landmark, after Lance Johnson in 1996. Reyes finished the season with a batting average of .297, with 72 extra-base hits (including a majors-leading 19 triples), 68 RBIs and 56 stolen bases. A few days before spring training, Mets manager Jerry Manuel announced that he was considering moving Reyes from the leadoff spot to 2nd or 3rd in the line-up. However, Reyes playing in the
World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major Leagu ...
meant his playing time in the Mets training camp was limited, and led to Manuel deciding to move Reyes back to the leadoff spot. Speaking of the decision, Reyes said, "That's where I've hit all my life ... I'd like to be a leadoff hitter." On May 3, 2009, Reyes was placed on the DL due to a calf injury. Reyes was expected to be back in early June but when rehabbing the injury he pulled himself from an extended spring training game; an MRI exam the following day revealed the tear, which Reyes confirmed was different from the initial injury. A September return was considered possible but he suffered yet another injury, a torn right hamstring while doing rehab work in August.


2010

On March 11, 2010, Reyes was diagnosed with a hyperactive thyroid gland, and was ordered by doctors to cease spring training activity. On March 23, his thyroid levels returned to normal and he was cleared to play. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list and missed the start of the regular season. On May 25, he had his 1000th career hit off of the Phillies'
Jamie Moyer Jamie Moyer (born November 18, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Over his 25-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB), Moyer pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, Bost ...
. On June 8, Reyes hit a game-tying home run in the 7th inning with two outs that had to be reviewed. The shot was originally called a double because it bounced back into play. The Mets went on to win the game in the 11th on a walk off shot by
Ike Davis Isaac Benjamin Davis (born March 22, 1987) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. From 2010 through 2016, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland Athletics, and New Y ...
. On July 4, Reyes was selected to his third All-Star Game, but he was unable to play due to an injury; Dodgers shortstop
Rafael Furcal Rafael Antoni Furcal (born October 24, 1977) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, and Miami Marlins. With St. Louis, he ...
replaced Reyes. However, Reyes still attended the All-Star Game with his family.


2011

On June 28, in his 1,000th career game, Reyes stole his 360th base. This put him in the top 100 all-time in stolen bases. Reyes was voted in as the starting shortstop for the National League in the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. However, he did not participate due to a strained left hamstring. Throughout the 2011 season, there were talks about Reyes' future and if it would be with the Mets. He decided he did not want to talk about it until the end of the season. As well as being a possible top target for teams in free agency, he was reportedly involved in trade talks with multiple teams, but the Mets decided they would hold onto him for the rest of the season and make an effort to re-sign him. Reyes was once again placed on the disabled list due to a strained left hamstring. On the final day of the season, after bunting for a single in his first at bat in the first inning, Reyes asked his manager to remove him from the game, ending his season with a .337 batting average, two points ahead of
Ryan Braun Ryan Joseph Braun (born November 17, 1983) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played his entire career for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2007 to 2020. Braun also played right field and fi ...
of the Milwaukee Brewers in the race for the NL batting title. Braun went 0–4 later in the day to finish at .332. Reyes became the first Met in franchise history to win an NL batting title. Reyes's decision came on the 70th anniversary of
Ted Williams Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 193 ...
' refusal to sit out a doubleheader on the last day of the 1941 season, putting his .400 batting average at risk but ultimately hitting 6-for-8 and raising his average from .39955 to .406. Reyes played in 126 games in 2011, the fewest games played by a batting champion since
Manny Ramirez Manuel Arístides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30, 1972) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of 19 seasons. He played with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, ...
's 120 games played in 2002. He became a free agent at the end of the season.


Miami Marlins (2012)

On December 7, 2011, Reyes agreed to a six-year, $106 million contract with the
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The fra ...
. Upon his signing with the Miami Marlins, he appeared on
MLB Network The MLB Network is an American television sports channel dedicated to baseball. It is primarily owned by Major League Baseball, with Warner Bros. Discovery through its sports unit, Comcast's NBC Sports Group, Charter Communications, and Cox C ...
where he had his signature dreadlocks cut off on February 3 to coincide with Marlins' dress code prohibiting long hair. Reyes had the first Marlins hit at
Marlins Park LoanDepot Park is a retractable roof stadium located in Miami, Florida. It is the home of Major League Baseball's Miami Marlins. It is located on on the site of the former Miami Orange Bowl in Little Havana about west of Downtown Miam ...
, against Kyle Lohse of the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
, breaking up a no-hitter in the 7th inning. Reyes finished the year hitting .287 and finished second in the NL in triples (12), second in at-bats per strikeout (11.5), and third in steals (40). He split time between the leadoff role and the #3 spot.


Toronto Blue Jays (2013–15)

On November 19, 2012, Reyes was traded to the
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
along with Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, John Buck, and Emilio Bonifacio, in exchange for
Jeff Mathis Jeffrey Stephen Mathis (born March 31, 1983) is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Toronto Blue Jays, Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondba ...
, Adeiny Hechavarria, Henderson Álvarez, Yunel Escobar, Jake Marisnick, Anthony DeSclafani, and
Justin Nicolino Justin Brian Nicolino (born November 22, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins, and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the ...
. Reyes needed to be carted off the field during a game against the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
on April 12, 2013, after hearing a pop in his left ankle while sliding into second. Reyes was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 13. On April 15, general manager Alex Anthopoulos reported that an MRI scan revealed no fracture and that no surgery would be required, but that Reyes was expected to miss three months. On April 15, CBS Sports reported that Reyes's ankle injury was less severe than originally thought, reducing his time on the DL to eight weeks, but that was later refuted by Blue Jays management. He was placed on the 60-day disabled list on April 23 to make room for Aaron Laffey. Reyes was held out of baseball activities for several weeks before playing two innings in a simulated game on June 14. He then began a rehab assignment in High-A
Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...
. Reyes played in 3 games and recorded a .417 average with 3 runs scored, 1 RBI and 1 stolen base. Reyes was promoted to Triple-A Buffalo on June 21, and scored the winning run against the
Durham Bulls The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened ...
. After playing three games in Buffalo, Alex Anthopoulos said Reyes would play another game in Buffalo, followed by a game in Double-A
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
. The plan was for Reyes to then be called up on June 27 when the Blue Jays begin a 4-game series against the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, however it was later reported that Reyes would be called up one day earlier. Reyes went to Tampa Bay on June 25, rather than going to New Hampshire and was present in the dugout, despite not being able to play. He went 0–4 in his return to the lineup on June 26, but the Blue Jays won on R. A. Dickey's complete game shutout 3–0. Reyes recorded his first hit since coming off the disabled list on June 28 against the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. The hit was also his 1,500th career hit. Reyes played his first game at home since coming off the disabled list on
Canada Day Canada Day (french: Fête du Canada), formerly known as Dominion Day (french: Fête du Dominion), is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 18 ...
and went 3–5 with a solo home run. On August 2, in a 7–5 loss to the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ...
, Reyes recorded his 500th career RBI on a two-run home run. In a game against the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion ...
on August 6, Reyes hit his 100th career home run, a solo shot to lead off the game off of Félix Hernández. After experiencing a minor hamstring strain during spring training, Reyes began the 2014 season batting leadoff for the Blue Jays. In his first at-bat on Opening Day he aggravated his hamstring injury while running to first base, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list at the end of the game. Reyes was activated on April 19, after playing in two rehab games with the High-A
Dunedin Blue Jays The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpark, ...
. He avoided the disabled list for the rest of the season, playing in 143 games and batting .287 with 9 home runs, 51 RBI, and 30 stolen bases. On April 28, 2015, Reyes was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a rib strain. He was activated on May 25. Before being traded to Colorado, Reyes had batted .285 with 4 home runs and 34 RBI in 69 games with the Blue Jays.


Colorado Rockies (2015)

On July 27, 2015, Reyes was traded to the
Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fi ...
, along with
Jeff Hoffman Jeffrey Robert Hoffman (born January 8, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously played for the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds. Hoffman played college baseball at East Carolina University. Ea ...
, Miguel Castro, and
Jesús Tinoco Jesús Rafael Tinoco (born April 30, 1995) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, Miami Ma ...
, in exchange for Troy Tulowitzki and
LaTroy Hawkins LaTroy Hawkins (born December 21, 1972) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. In his 21-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, he played for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Ro ...
. In 47 more games with the Rockies, Reyes batted .259 with 3 home runs, 19 RBI, and 8 stolen bases. Overall in 2015, combined with both teams, Reyes played 132 total games with a .274 batting average, 24 stolen bases, 19 home runs, and 53 RBI.


Second stint with the New York Mets (2016–2018)

On June 25, 2016, Reyes became a free agent and signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets. Reyes began his second stint in the Mets organization by being assigned to the
Brooklyn Cyclones The Brooklyn Cyclones are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, and play at Maimonides Park, just off the Coney Islan ...
. In his stints with the Cyclones and the
Binghamton Mets The Binghamton Rumble Ponies are an American Minor League Baseball team based in Binghamton, New York. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club. The Rumble Ponies play in Mirab ...
, Reyes batted .176, and made an error at third base. On July 4, the Mets announced that they would be activating Reyes on July 5. In his first MLB game with the Mets since 2011, Reyes went 0-for-4. On July 30, Reyes was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a Grade 1 intercostal muscle strain. Reyes returned from the disabled list in August, and proceeded to become what some considered the spark for a run deprived Mets offense. On September 22, Reyes hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the 9th inning in a pivotal game against the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
to even the score at 6–6. Asdrúbal Cabrera would later hit a three-run home run in the 11th inning to win, 9–8, propelling the Mets to a Wild Card berth. Reyes batted .267 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs in 2016. After 60 games with the Mets in 2016, the club picked up its option on its contract with Reyes, keeping him with the team for the major league minimum salary in 2017. Prior to the 2017 season, Reyes began working out as a full-time utility player, playing the infield and center field. Reyes' first appearance in center field came on May 13 against the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
at Miller Park. He only played one inning in center field, before finishing the game at shortstop. On May 20, Reyes collected his 2,000 career hit; a single off
Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...
pitcher Alex Meyer. On July 24, Reyes became the 39th player in MLB history to steal 500 career bases. In 2017 he batted .246/.315/.413, the lowest batting average of his major league career, with 15 home runs and 75 runs scored.Jose Reyes Stats , Baseball-Reference.com
/ref> After the season, he re-signed with the Mets on a one-year, $2 million contract. On July 31, 2018, when the Mets were already down 19–1 to the Washington Nationals, Reyes fulfilled a longtime dream and pitched the 8th inning, conceding six runs, including two home runs. He then became the first MLB player since
Cap Anson Adrian Constantine Anson (April 17, 1852 – April 14, 1922), nicknamed "Cap" (for "Captain") and "Pop", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman. Including his time in the National Association (NA), he played a record 27 ...
in 1884 to give up two home runs as a pitcher in one game and subsequently hit two home runs in the following game (on August 1). In 2018, he batted .189/.260/.320 with five stolen bases (each a career low). He elected free agency on October 29, 2018. On July 29, 2020, Reyes announced his official retirement from professional baseball on his Twitter account.


International career


2006 World Baseball Classic

Reyes represented the
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
in the
2006 World Baseball Classic The 2006 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was the inaugural tournament between national baseball teams that included players from Major League Baseball. It was held from March 3 to 20 in stadiums that are in and around Tokyo, Japan; San Juan, Puert ...
. The team finished top of their group in both the first and second rounds, but fell to
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
in the semi-finals. Reyes' playing time was limited due to the presence of
Miguel Tejada Miguel Odalis Tejada ( Tejeda; born May 25, 1974) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for six teams, most notably the Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles, befo ...
in the shortstop spot. In 6 at-bats, Reyes collected 1 hit and 1 run, as well as 2 stolen bases.


2009 World Baseball Classic

Reyes was again called up to the Dominican Republic team for the 2009 competition. He had a disappointing tournament as the Dominican Republic were eliminated after only three games, suffering two defeats against the underdog
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
team. Reyes finished the tournament with just 1 hit and 2 runs from 9 at-bats.


2013 World Baseball Classic

After two disappointing tournaments in 2006 and 2009, Reyes and the Dominican Republic team ran the table in 2013 tournament going 7–0 to make it to the Classic Final against
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
. They defeated their 2009 nemesis the Netherlands in the semifinal 4–1 and redeemed their 2009 losses. In the final, the Dominican Republic defeated Puerto Rico 3–0 to become the first team to go undefeated in the tournament. Reyes had a much better tournament in 2013, batting .314 with a home run and 11 hits.


Music

Reyes is a dembow musician and owner of a record label. In May 2011, Reyes released his debut song, "Bat Roto" (Spanish for "Broken Bat"), that was played on Spanish radio stations and in nightclubs in the United States and the Dominican Republic. In July, he released a video for his reggaeton song named "No Hay Amigo" ("There is No Friend"), which featured established reggaeton artists
Julio Voltio Julio Voltio (born as Julio Irving Ramos Filomeno on June 11, 1977 in Santurce, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican former reggaeton artist. A pioneer of the reggaeton genre, Voltio retired from music in 2014 and dedicated himself to preaching Christi ...
, Vakero, and Big Mato. Reyes used the song
Chacarron "Chacarron" (often known as "Chacarron Macarron") is a song by Panamanian artists Rodney Clark (El Chombo) and Andres de la Cruz (also known as Andy's Val Gourmet). It is a reworking of the original version from 2003 by Andy's Val Gourmet, who ...
by El Chombo for his walk-up music throughout his career with the New York Mets. Reyes created a record label, EL7 Music, whose name was inspired by his uniform number. As of 2011, he had financed all of the label's operations. He is featured in the song "5 Mujeres" by Lirico En La Casa released with a music video by March 22, 2019.


Personal life

After leaving the Mets for free agency, Reyes continued to make his offseason home on
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...
. He had lived in
Manhasset Manhasset is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Nassau County, on the North Shore of Long Island, in New York. It is considered the anchor community of the Greater Manhasset area. The population was 8,176 at the 2020 United States ce ...
, New York with his wife, Katherine, and then moved to Old Brookville. Reyes was a close friend to former right-handed pitcher
José Lima José Desiderio Rodriguez Lima (September 30, 1972 – May 23, 2010) was a Dominican right-handed pitcher who spent 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Detroit Tigers (1994–1996, 2001–2002), Houston Astros (1997–2001), Kan ...
. When Lima died May 23, 2010, Reyes said, "He's the funniest guy you could ever meet, he always smiled, he was always happy. It was good to know him. It's a real tough day...I've known him a long time. People in the
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
love the guy a lot, so it's a very tough day not only for the Dominican people, but for everyone because of the guy that he was." Reyes married Katherine Ramirez on July 25, 2008. They have three daughters and a son together: Catherine, Ashley, Joselyn and Fernando. On October 31, 2015, Reyes was arrested for allegedly assaulting his wife in
Wailea, Hawaii Wailea is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 6,027. Prior to 2010, the area was part of the Wailea-Makena census-designated place. The community was developed in ...
. On March 30, 2016, prosecutors in
Maui The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, whic ...
moved to dismiss the domestic abuse charges on the grounds that his wife was refusing to cooperate as a witness. Reyes and his wife became American citizens on April 4, 2018.


Domestic violence

During the 2015–16 offseason, Reyes was charged with
domestic violence Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for '' intimate partn ...
, stemming from an incident with his wife while on vacation in Hawaii. He allegedly grabbed her by the throat and shoved her into a door before hotel security called the police. She was taken to the emergency room with injuries to the side, neck, and wrist. On February 23, 2016, MLB Commissioner
Rob Manfred Robert Dean Manfred Jr. (born September 28, 1958) is an American lawyer and business executive who is serving as the tenth commissioner of Major League Baseball. He previously served as MLB's chief operating officer. Manfred succeeded Bud Selig a ...
announced that Reyes would be placed on paid administrative leave until at least April, when his trial began. On May 13, Manfred announced that Reyes was suspended without pay until May 31, spanning the Colorado Rockies' first 51 games of the season. On May 31, the day his suspension expired, he was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque for a rehab assignment. Despite projections that he would return to the team, he was
designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
by the Rockies on June 15.


Media appearances

On December 7, 2007, Reyes was announced as the cover athlete for ''
Major League Baseball 2K8 ''Major League Baseball 2K8'', or, in shorter terms, ''MLB 2K8'', is an MLB licensed baseball simulation video game co-developed by Blue Castle Games and newly renamed 2K Los Angeles and published by 2K Sports for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, ...
'' from 2K Sports, taking over from
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
counterpart
Derek Jeter Derek Sanderson Jeter ( ; born June 26, 1974) is an American former professional baseball shortstop, businessman, and baseball executive. As a player, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees ...
. Reyes was also the cover athlete for the
Nintendo DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in t ...
spinoff, ''
Major League Baseball 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars ''Major League Baseball 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars'' is the Nintendo DS spin-off of ''Major League Baseball 2K8'' in the vein of ''MLB Power Pros'', developed by Canadian studio Deep Fried Entertainment and published by 2K Sports. It was released on Ap ...
'', albeit in cartoon form.


Awards and honors

* Four-time NL All-Star (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011) * Two-time New York Mets Minor League Player of the Year (2001, 2002) * 2001 Low-A All-Star * 2002 1st Team Minor League All-Star * 2002 Florida State League All-Star * 2002 Eastern League All-Star * 2002 Futures Game All-Star MVP * 2006 NL Silver Slugger Award * 2007 NL Player of the Month Award (April)


Achievements

* Four-time NL triples leader (2005, 2006, 2008, 2011) * Three-time NL stolen bases leader (2005, 2006, 2007) * 2011 NL batting champion * New York Mets all-time leader in triples * New York Mets all-time leader in stolen bases * 500 career stolen bases


See also

* List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle *
List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders Major League Baseball recognizes stolen base leaders in the American League and National League each season. American League National League American Association Federal League Players' League National Association See also * ...
*
List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders In baseball, a triple is recorded when the ball is hit so that the batter is able to advance all the way to third base, scoring any runners who were already on base, with no errors by the defensive team on the play. In Major League Baseball (M ...
* List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders * List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders


References


External links

* * : {{DEFAULTSORT:Reyes, Jose 1983 births Living people American sportspeople of Dominican Republic descent Binghamton Mets players Brooklyn Cyclones players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Capital City Bombers players Colorado Rockies players Dominican Republic emigrants to the United States Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Canada Dunedin Blue Jays players Gigantes del Cibao players Kingsport Mets players Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic Major League Baseball second basemen Major League Baseball shortstops Major League Baseball third basemen Miami Marlins players National League All-Stars National League batting champions National League stolen base champions New York Mets players Norfolk Tides players People from Santiago Province (Dominican Republic) Reggaeton musicians Silver Slugger Award winners St. Lucie Mets players Toronto Blue Jays players World Baseball Classic players of the Dominican Republic 2006 World Baseball Classic players 2009 World Baseball Classic players 2013 World Baseball Classic players 2017 World Baseball Classic players