New York Yankees Star Beaten and Robbed at Gunpoint in Dominican Republic

New York Yankees player Miguel Andujar was beaten and robbed at gunpoint in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, according to a report from ESPN Deportes, per CBS Sports. The incident occurred at his farm in San Cristobal with the suspects during three shots. Andujar was not hit with the shots, but a relative was hit in the finger. 

The report states that Andujar was beaten but is still expected to arrive in Tampa, Florida on Saturday for the start of spring training, according to Erik Boland of Newsday. The relative who was shot in the finger is in stable condition. The suspect reportedly stole jewelry from Andujar that was estimated to be worth $7,000. They also stole a vehicle that belong to Andujar’s father. The vehicle was found by police and, they have obtained security camera footage from the farm to help with the investigation. The Yankees have yet to respond to the incident, according to NJ.com. 

Andujar, 27, has been with the Yankees since 2017 and plays multiple positions. In a 2018 interview with MLB.com, Andujar talked about the work ethic he brings to the team. “I want to improve every day,” he said. “I understood at an early age that if you want to be a better player each year, you have to work really hard. You have to practice as hard as you play in games and, most importantly, you have to have a set routine to follow every day. I still have a routine that I follow. I know that I need to work as hard as I did for all of those years I was in the Minors. I’m actually working even harder now because of how good the competition is at this level.”

Andujar’s best season was in 2018 when he hit .297 with 27 home runs and 92 runs batted in. He had such a successful season he finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting. At that time, Andujar was getting his share of love from fans. “When people are noticing that you’re working hard and that you’re consistent, it makes you feel great,” Andujar said. “It means that the hard work is paying off. So, it’s good to hear that, but at the same time, it gives me motivation to keep working hard, to keep improving, and to keep on doing the things that I need to do in order to take my game to the next level.”