Minnesota Twins infielder Willi Castro is excelling on and off the field. He leads the team in hits, extra-base hits, and runs batted in, making him a strong contender to make the Opening Day roster. Additionally, he and his wife are expecting their second child. Meanwhile, Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez is disappointed after Venezuela was knocked out of the World Baseball Classic. Kenta Maeda had a tough day on the mound in a loss to the Braves, and Max Kepler left Sunday’s game with hip tightness, but the injury is minor. Finally, the Twins optioned two right-handers to Class AAA St. Paul, leaving them with 24 pitchers on a roster that must be whittled to 13 by Opening Day.
Twins Infielder Willi Castro Excels on and off the Field
Willi Castro, a former Detroit Tigers utility player, is making his presence felt with the Twins in Spring Training. He leads the team in hits, extra-base hits, and runs batted in, making him a strong contender to make the Opening Day roster. After spending four years with the Tigers, he feels incredibly comfortable playing for the Twins.
But that’s not the only good news in Castro’s life. He and his wife Aniana are expecting another baby. “I love being a dad,” Castro said, “and my daughter, Arantxa, is always bouncing around everywhere, making me feel happy.”
Castro was surprised when Detroit nontendered him in November, but he was soon contacted by a dozen teams interested in signing him. Twins baseball boss Derek Falvey said that Castro was an early target for them in minor league free agency, as they see a lot of potential upside in him.
Like many of his teammates, Castro plays multiple positions. Although he came up as a middle infielder, the Tigers had him play in the outfield 80 times last season. Castro embraced the challenge, saying, “I really like moving around. It was new to me, but I showed the Tigers I can play anywhere they want. I thought I was pretty good in the outfield.”
Back Early
Meanwhile, Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez was supposed to be pitching for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic on Sunday, but instead, he was pitching to Twins minor leaguers in front of a small crowd. Lopez had hoped to lead Venezuela to the championship game, but a grand slam by Trea Turner of Team USA knocked them out in the quarterfinals.
Lopez was disappointed but said he will treasure the memories of the tournament, especially his impressive performance against Puerto Rico, a team that featured many of his Twins teammates. “We started the WBC in such a tough pool, against tough teams, and we were able to play good baseball, get good results,” Lopez said. “So for it to end the way it did, it’s going to sting. Right now, it’s kind of grief, the way it feels.”
Pitcher Reflects on World Baseball Classic Experience
Minnesota Twins pitcher was thrilled to represent his country, Venezuela, in the World Baseball Classic. He pitched the ninth inning of the Twins’ Grapefruit League game before finishing his workout on the back field, describing the experience as the “biggest honor” he’s had in his career.
He was able to pitch in front of amazing crowds and face some of the best players in the world. The opportunity meant the world to him, and he cherished every moment. He was starstruck by the players in his clubhouse and tried to soak it all in.
Maeda Struggles in Loss to Braves
Kenta Maeda had a tough day on the mound for the Twins, giving up his first two home runs of the spring. The Braves shut out the Twins 5-0, with All-Star left-hander Max Fried holding the Twins to just one hit over 6 1/3 innings. Former Twin Michael Tonkin was among three Braves relievers who completed the shutout.
Injury and Roster Update
Max Kepler left Sunday’s game with hip tightness, but manager Rocco Baldelli said the injury is minor, and he expects the outfielder to play again soon. Right-hander Jhoan Duran was hit on the leg by a line drive while pitching live batting practice but wasn’t seriously hurt. The Twins optioned right-handers Trevor Megill and Louie Varland to Class AAA St. Paul on Sunday, leaving them with 24 pitchers on a roster that must be whittled to 13 by Opening Day.
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