Edwin Encarnación

Edwin Elpidio Encarnación Rivera (born January 7, 1983) is a Dominican former professional baseball designated hitter, third baseman and first baseman.

He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Chicago White Sox.

Encarnación is a three-time All-Star.

Encarnación was born in the Dominican Republic to Elpidio Encarnación, a track and field coach, and Mireya Rivera.

He is the third of three sons, including Richard and Julio, and four children, including younger sister, Evelin.

Encarnación also had twelve half-siblings via his father.

Encarnación split time as a high school student between his native country and Puerto Rico after his father took a job coaching at a Puerto Rican college.

His Puerto Rican residence made him eligible for the Major League Baseball draft.

The Texas Rangers selected Encarnación in the ninth round of the 2000 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed with them.

On June 15, 2001, the Rangers traded him and Rubén Mateo to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for pitcher Rob Bell.

He made his Major League Baseball debut on June 24, 2005, and played in 69 games.

He finished with a .232 batting average, nine home runs, and 31 runs batted in (RBIs).

In the 2006 season, Encarnación played 117 games for the Reds, and batted .276 with 15 home runs and 72 RBIs.

Encarnación won the National League Player of the Week award for the week of August 7–13.

During the week, he led the league with 4 home runs and 24 total bases, batting .440 with eight RBIs.

In 2007, Encarnación started the year slowly, struggling to bat over .200.

He was frequently benched in favor of Ryan Freel, which gave Josh Hamilton, who was attempting to resurrect his career after it was derailed by addiction to drugs and alcohol, more starts in center field.

Encarnación was benched again at one point by then manager Jerry Narron for not running out a fly ball.

On May 10, 2007, Encarnación was demoted to the Reds' Triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Bats.

He was recalled to the Major Leagues on May 22, 2007.

For the 2007 season, Encarnación batted .289 with 16 home runs and 76 RBI.

In 2008, Encarnación set career highs in games played and home runs.

He batted .251 in 146 games with 26 home runs and 68 RBIs, and also struck out 102 times, the first time he had struck out more than 100 times in his career.

For the 2009 season, Encarnación stated that he wanted to be more consistent as a hitter who did not try to hit home runs in every at bat: "I want to try to stay more to the middle. Last year, I tried to pull too many balls and hit more homers. That's why my average went down. I will be more consistent as a hitter. I know I can do it. I've done it before. I know I can hit better than that and I just have to keep working".

Encarnación played in 43 games with the Reds in the 2009 season, batting just .209 with five home runs and 16 RBIs before being traded to Toronto.

Encarnación, along with right-handed pitchers Josh Roenicke and Zach Stewart, was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Scott Rolen on July 31, 2009.

It was reported that then Blue Jays General Manager J. P. Ricciardi was only interested in acquiring Roenicke and Stewart, but Cincinnati would not accept the trade unless the Blue Jays also took on Encarnación.

Encarnación played in 42 games for the Blue Jays during the 2009 season, and batted .240 with eight home runs and 23 RBIs.

During the offseason, Encarnación suffered first and second-degree burns to the forehead and the right side of his face when a rocket firecracker hit him in the jaw and exploded near his mouth.

After initially being treated near his Dominican Republic home, Encarnacion was transferred to a Miami hospital.

He was discharged less than two days after the incident.

Encarnación missed 30 games through April and May 2010 with a right arm injury, before returning on May 18, 2010.

He hit a home run in his first at bat since the injury against the Minnesota Twins.

On May 21, he had three home runs against the Arizona Diamondbacks, homering in three straight at-bats.

On June 20, after a loss to the Giants, Encarnacion was optioned to the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s.

However, in a surprise move, he was designated for assignment the next day by the Blue Jays.

Encarnación was eventually assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas on June 23, 2010, but was later called up to the Blue Jays again on July 2, 2010, after a struggling performance by Encarnacion's replacement, Jarrett Hoffpauir.

He hit his 100th career home run against the Minnesota Twins on the last day of the season, and also became the Jays' 7th player of the 2010 season with 20 or more home runs.

Encarnación finished the 2010 season with a batting average of .244, 21 home runs and 51 RBI.

On November 12, 2010, Encarnacion was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics.