Castro over trade shock
Miami second baseman Starlin Castro says he’s over the initial shock and disappointment he felt upon learning in December that he’d been traded from the contending New York Yankees to the rebuilding Marlins.
“It’s kind of tough because I’d been there two years,” Castro said. “We had a good team over there. We made the playoffs last year. When they made the trade, I felt a little upset.”
At a price tag of US$10.86 million for 2018, he is the secondhighest paid Marlins player and still could be traded at any point to further cut costs. Whether that happens or not, he’s set to play for Miami.
“I feel good now,” said Castro, a couple of hours before his new team faced his old squad for the first time this spring.
The 27-year-old is keeping his Yankees ties alive.
Some Yankees elected to make the drive across the state from Tampa on Saturday night. Castro took Gary Sanchez, Miguel Andujar, Gleyber Torres and Estevan Florial to dinner.
“I feel really happy to see those guys and play against them,” Castro said. “It’s going to be fun.”
A .282 hitter over eight seasons whose next home run with be No. 100 in his career, Castro batted third against New York in a 7-5 win Sunday.
The four-time All-star hit a triple off the centre field wall off Jordan Montgomery in his first at-bat, part of a 1-for-3 afternoon.
Miami manager Don Mattingly intends to keep Castro in the No. 3 spot once the regular season begins, a role filled last year by the centre fielder Miami traded to Milwaukee, Christian Yelich.
“We think he’s a guy a lot like Christian from the standpoint of, this is a guy who can really hit,” Mattingly said. “Hits both sides, right and left, and is just going to get his hits. If there’s men on base, he’s going to drive in runs. Not a 30-home run guy, probably, but a guy who will hit 15 to 20 and can get his hits.”
Castro became a Marlin in fiveplayer trade that sent slugger Giancarlo Stanton to the Yankees.
Aaron Judge appeared in New York’s lineup, but Stanton did not make the trip to the spring training facility that the reigning National League MVP called home for the first eight seasons of his major league career.
“I’m not disappointed,” Mattingly said, smiling.
“It would have been fine, though. Big G, he’s a good dude. I had no problems with him or any of that. He’s going to be great over there,” he said.
The trade of Stanton was part of an effort by the new ownership group, led by former Yankees great Derek Jeter, to trim payroll and restock the Marlins’ minor league system.