Yunesky Maya

1.1. Cuban National Series Performance

Maya made his professional debut in the Cuban National Series and quickly established himself as a prominent pitcher. In the 2004-05 Cuban National Series season, he led the entire league with an impressive earned run average (ERA) of 1.61. He followed this strong performance with a 7-9 record and a 3.79 ERA in the 2005-06 Cuban National Series season.

His peak performance in the Cuban National Series came during the 2008-2009 season, where he finished with a notable 13-4 win-loss record and completed seven games. That year, he ranked second among league leaders in ERA with 2.22 and was also second in strikeouts with 119, trailing only Aroldis Chapman, who later defected and signed with the Cincinnati Reds. For his exceptional performance, Maya was honored with Cuba's equivalent of the Cy Young Award, a prestigious recognition for the league's best pitcher. Over his six seasons in the Cuban National Series, Maya accumulated a career record of 48-29 with a cumulative ERA of 2.51.

1.2. Departure from Cuba

In the summer of 2009, Yunesky Maya faced a significant turning point in his career when he was expelled from the Cuban national baseball team. The official state newspaper, Granma, cited "grave problems of indiscipline" as the reason for his expulsion. This disciplinary action was widely presumed to be a consequence of a failed attempt to leave the country without official permission.

Following this incident, in September 2009, Maya successfully fled Cuba. After his defection, he resided in the Dominican Republic for approximately nine months while navigating the complexities of his professional future. During this period, the United States Department of the Treasury eventually granted Maya authorization to sign a contract with a Major League Baseball (MLB) team, paving the way for his entry into the highest level of professional baseball.

2.1. Washington Nationals

On July 31, 2010, Yunesky Maya officially signed with the Washington Nationals. His transition into the Nationals' organization was remarkably swift, as he rapidly advanced through their minor league system. Maya made only five starts across various minor league levels before receiving a call-up to the major league roster when teams expanded their rosters in September. His minor league assignments included two starts for the GCL Nationals, one for the Potomac Nationals, and two for the Syracuse Chiefs. Across these five starts, he pitched a combined 21 and one-third innings, recording an overall ERA of 3.38.

Maya made his highly anticipated major league debut on September 7, 2010, starting against the New York Mets. This game also marked the MLB debut of Mets pitcher Dillon Gee. Despite a challenging start where he surrendered a three-run home run to Ike Davis in the first inning, Maya settled down, retiring 11 of the next 12 batters he faced and completing five innings.

On May 29, 2011, Maya was recalled by the Washington Nationals to fill the rotation spot of Tom Gorzelanny, who had been placed on the disabled list. To accommodate Maya's return, Collin Balester was optioned to the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs. Maya was later designated for assignment by the Nationals on May 25, 2013. However, the team subsequently reacquired him and sent him outright back to the Syracuse Chiefs.

2.2. Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels

Following his time with the Washington Nationals, Yunesky Maya continued his professional career with other MLB organizations, primarily in their minor league systems.

On December 11, 2013, Maya signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. His tenure with the Braves organization was relatively brief, as he was released on July 11, 2014.

After his departure from the Braves, Maya later signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels on February 2, 2016. During his time with the Angels, he made six starts, which were split between the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees and the rookie-level Arizona League Angels. In these appearances, he compiled an aggregate record of 2-3 with a 5.68 ERA and 15 strikeouts. Following the 2016 season, on November 7, Maya elected free agency.

3.1. Doosan Bears: Joining and Initial Performance

On July 25, 2014, Maya signed a one-year contract valued at 175.00 K USD with the Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization. He was acquired by the Bears as a replacement for Chris Volstad, who had been released due to poor performance. Maya made his KBO League debut on August 1, 2014, starting against the Hanwha Eagles. In that game, he pitched 5 innings, allowing 4 runs, with 2 of them being unearned. For the remainder of the 2014 season, Maya posted a 2-4 win-loss record with a 4.86 ERA across 11 games started for the Bears. Despite his modest initial performance, the team decided to re-sign him for the upcoming 2015 season.

3.2. 2015 Season: No-hitter and Release

The 2015 season began with a historic highlight for Yunesky Maya. On April 9, 2015, in a home game against the Nexen Heroes, he achieved a remarkable no-hitter in a 1-0 victory for the Doosan Bears. This achievement was the 12th no-hitter in the 33-year history of the KBO League and only the second ever thrown by a foreign pitcher, following Charlie Shirek's no-hitter in 2014. During his dominant outing, Maya threw 136 pitches, issued 3 walks, and recorded 8 strikeouts.

Despite this historic performance, Maya's season took a downturn thereafter. He struggled significantly, failing to secure another win and accumulating an 8.17 ERA in subsequent starts. His difficulties led to his release from the Doosan Bears on June 16, 2015. The team quickly signed Anthony Swarzak as his replacement.

4.1. Mexican League

Maya spent several seasons with different teams in the Mexican League, making significant contributions to each club.

• Rieleros de Aguascalientes: On June 18, 2018, Maya signed with the Rieleros de Aguascalientes. He made 4 starts, recording a 1-1 record with a 7.13 ERA and 8 strikeouts over 17.2 innings before being released on August 1, 2018.
• Saraperos de Saltillo: On March 1, 2019, he joined the Saraperos de Saltillo. His time there was brief, as he was released on April 13, 2019, after making 2 starts with a 0-1 record, a 15.63 ERA, and 4 strikeouts in 6.1 innings.
• Diablos Rojos del México: On December 14, 2022, Maya signed with the Diablos Rojos del México. For México, he appeared in 13 games, including 12 starts, and recorded a 3.71 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 63.0 innings pitched.
• Guerreros de Oaxaca: On July 19, 2023, Maya was loaned to the Guerreros de Oaxaca. In 4 starts for Oaxaca, he posted a 2-1 record and a 6.05 ERA with 10 strikeouts across 19 and one-third innings.
• Piratas de Campeche: Most recently, on February 13, 2024, Maya signed with the Piratas de Campeche. In 15 starts for the team, he has compiled a 5-7 record with a 4.48 ERA and 49 strikeouts over 74.1 innings pitched.

4.2. Dominican Professional Baseball League

After the 2020 baseball season, Yunesky Maya also played for the Águilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM). He was part of the Dominican Republic's team that competed in the 2021 Caribbean Series, an annual baseball tournament featuring champions from the professional leagues of Latin America and the Caribbean. His association with Águilas Cibaeñas reportedly began in 2017.