Luis Valbuena

Luis Valbuena
Valbuena with the Houston Astros
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – No. 18
Third baseman / Second baseman / First baseman
Born: (1985-11-30) November 30, 1985 (age 31) Caja Seca, Venezuela
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 2, 2008, for the Seattle Mariners
MLB statistics (through 2016 season)
Batting average	.232
Home runs	83
Runs batted in	269
Teams
Seattle Mariners (2008) Cleveland Indians (2009–2011) Chicago Cubs (2012–2014) Houston Astros (2015–2016) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2017–present)

Luis Adan Valbuena (born November 30, 1985) is a Venezuelan professional baseball third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros. While primarily a third baseman, Valbuena has also played second base and first base.

Valbuena grew up in Sucre, a municipality in the Venezuelan state of Zulia. He was raised by a single mother named Nelly, who was the president of the local youth baseball league. Valbuena's older brother and several uncles also helped him to learn to play baseball.

Valbuena began his professional career in the Seattle Mariners organization in 2005. He was first promoted to the major leagues on September 1, 2008, from the Mariners' Triple-A team, the Tacoma Rainiers.

On December 10, 2008, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians in a three-team trade that sent Franklin Gutiérrez to Seattle.

Valbuena's first Major League home run came off of Bartolo Colón.

In July 2011, the Indians optioned Valbuena to Triple-A Columbus, to make room for the promotion of rookie second baseman Jason Kipnis.

In August 2011, Valbuena was recalled after Kipnis was put on the disabled list with an oblique injury. He was designated for assignment and removed from the 40-man roster on November 18, 2011. On November 26, 2011, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations.