Related: Minnesota Twins Will Not Trade Polanco, Farmer or Kepler for Prospects

The past couple of months, though, Astudillo has been competing in the Dominican Republic Winter League (LIDOM), where he’s teamed up with other former Twins, including Miguel Sano, whose rocket 3-run home run on Saturday helped their squad. Estrellas Orientales, take a 1-0 lead in the LIDOM finals.

Willians Astudillo still struggling defensively

On Sunday, though, Astudillo showed why he never really caught on as a big leaguer, even though he’s a fan favorite and walking base hit. In the field, ‘La Tortuga’ doesn’t really have a position he excels at. Estrellas tried to hide him in right field on Sunday and it nearly cost them their series lead.

It was the bottom of the 6th Inning and Estrellas held a 2-0 lead. With two outs and two Tigres del Licey runners on base, Aristides Aquino hit a ‘can of corn’ pop fly out to right field. Astudillo lumbered in and seemed to get under it. But then, the ball hit off his glove without as much as a bobble… and dropped to the ground.

OMG LICEY JUST TIED THE GAME IN THE MOST CHAOTIC WAY POSSIBLE https://t.co/VAUZGG6Uat pic.twitter.com/scEV6fpaAb

— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) January 21, 2024

Despite Astudillo’s embarrassing error, Estrellas went on to win the game 4-2, to take a 2-0 series lead in the LIDOM final. It’s a best of 7 series and, just like the MLB, it is a 2-3-2 format with rotating venues. Game 3 is on today (Jan. 22) at 5:30 p.m CST and you can watch the on MLB TV.

Related: Minnesota Twins Sign Top-10 International Prospect, Daiber De Los Santos

Remembering Astudillo with the Minnesota Twins

La Tortuga played a diversified utility role with the Minnesota Twins, during his handful of seasons in the organization. When you aren’t great at any position, make sure you can play a little bit of every position. And that, along with his ability to put the ball in play and get on base, is what got Willians to the big leagues.

He even made 49 appearances for the Twins behind the dish, the second most he played of any position in his career. He played 54 games at 3rd base and 41 at 1st base with a sprinkling just about everywhere else. And when manager Rocco Baldelli needed a non-pitcher to eat some garbage time innings, he knew who to call.

46MPH!!! 5-foot-9, 225-pound 1B/3B Willians ‘La Tortuga’ Astudillo threw a nine-pitch 1-2-3 inning for the Twins. 🐢 pic.twitter.com/idqTFOZpes

— BroBible (@BroBible) April 17, 2021

Related: Miguel Sano Comeback Season is Upon Us

How has he done? Pretty damn good, actually. Sano has served as the team’s regular designated hitter. In 107 plate appearances (5th most on Estrellas), Sano is batting .225 with a .750 OPS, 13 RBI, 14 BB and 30 Ks. The former Minnesota Twin bats in the middle of the lineup and he’s a huge part of Estrella’s 2023-24 championship run.

Miguel Sano Hits Game-Winning Missile in LIDOM Championship

Their trust in Miguel Sano was on full display Saturday, too, when they batted him cleanup in game one of the league’s seven-game championship series. In return, the 30-year-old Sano went 1-for-2 with one walk, zero strikeouts and this 3-run missile homerun in the 1st inning. Even better than the homer might be Sano’s celebration right before he reached 1st base.

SANÓ GOES BOOM AND SAN PEDRO GOES WILD https://t.co/cGArHnKEqx pic.twitter.com/DmEcRz3A2G

— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) January 21, 2024

Before you get offended, know that baseball is done differently in the Dominican Winter League. Go ahead and be made if you want. Personally, I like to appreciate the different spin that we see on baseball in other countries. And Latin American baseball just hits different.

Estrellas Orientales took game one 7-5 vs Tigres del Licey, in part thanks to Sano’s great day at the plate. Game 2 is Sunday at 3 PM CST and can be viewed on MLB.TV if you’re bored of the NFL playoffs and you have a subscription.

Related: Minnesota Twins Will Not Trade Polanco, Farmer or Kepler for Prospects

Other names you might know on Estrellas Orientales

Other names you’ll know on the Estrellas roster include former Twins fan favorite, Willians Astudillo, who was on base when Sano hit his homer yesterday. Robinson Cano, an all-time MLB great who retired after the 2022 season, batted behind Sano in yesterday’s game.

Others who have graced the Estrellas roster this Winter include Fernando Tatis Jr, whose dad happens to the team’s manager, Yasiel Puig, Jurickson Profar and Eguy Rosario, among others. Former Twins minor leaguers on the roster include Lewin Diaz and Wilin Rosario.

The way Sano ripped through the minor leagues, crushing every single pitcher who took the mound against him, Twins fans thought they were getting, at worst, a David Ortiz type designated hitter for the next 15 years.

Related: Bally Sports North May Stream Timberwolves, Twins and Wild on Amazon Prime

At best, we hoped he’d play a decent 3rd base while crushing 40 homers and batting in 100 runs per season. As recently as 2021, many fans still held out hope Sano would live up to any semblance of the player he once projected to be.

Miguel Sano crushed elite pitching in 2021. The #MNTwins first baseman slashed .263/.349/.711 (1.060) against pitchers who got at least one Cy Young vote that season.

He homered off Lance Lynn (twice), Lucas Giolito, Gerrit Cole, and Lance McCullers Jr.

10-for-38
5 HR
4 BB pic.twitter.com/6EUJJiz2Ry

— Twins Dingers (@TwinsDingers) July 31, 2023

The last time we saw Miguel Sano in the MLB

But that’s not how history played out. Miguel Sano struggled to be a consistent middle of the order bat, throughout his time with the Twins. He struggled with injuries, eating habits and many questioned his desire to be a great baseball player.

Sano’s final opportunity in Minnesota expired after the 2022 season, where he hit .083 in 71 at-bats, before completely falling off the radar for about one year. He was technically a free agent last season, but never got an opportunity, leading many to believe Miguel’s Major League Baseball career is over.

And it still might be. But not if it’s up to Miguel Sano, who is back on the baseball field playing in the Dominican Winter League for Estrellas Orientales, the same team that San Diego Padres players Fernando Tatis Jr, Eguy Rosario and Jurickson Profar are playing for.

This week, video surfaced on Twitter of Sano hitting an absolute bomb over the left field fence. Man, I miss that swing.

¡La brilló! 💥 HOMERUN de Miguel Sanó y viene otra más para los verdes @EOBASEBALLCLUB 🐘🔥#LIDOM #CopaBanreservas pic.twitter.com/py9j6dwkKD

— LIDOM (@LIDOMRD) December 19, 2023

Miguel Sano outshining MLB regulars in Dominican Winter League

For Estrellas, Sano’s numbers are pretty impressive. They aren’t — ‘jump off the page’ or ‘sign this man immediately’ — good. But ‘respectable’ might not be strong enough.

Related: Minnesota Twins Starters Project Top-10 in MLB; Near Best in AL

Sano is an Estrellas lineup regular, unlike Fernando Tatis Jr, who has 1.062 OPS in 33 plate appearances. And of any Estrellas player with over 100 at-bats this winter, Miguel (107) has the highest OPS (.750) and most doubles (30) on the team. He’s racked up the fifth most RBI (13), 3rd most walks (14), and ONLY the 2nd-most strikeouts.

That’s not sarcasm you’re reading. Yes, he’s near the top of the team in strikeouts, but his number (30) doesn’t jump off the page compared to the rest of his teammates, which surprised me a bit. He’s one of five players on roster with 24 or more strikeouts. Eguy Rosario has more (38) and has only 8 more at-bats than Miguel.

Estrellas Orientales Individual Statistics – 2023-24

Miguel Sano comeback season is upon us

There’s no doubt about it, looking at the team’s individual stats on the winter season, that Sano has been a better hitter than multiple MLB players on his team, including the aforementioned Rosario and Profar.

I’m not saying Miguel Sano is on the fast track back to Major League Baseball, but he is clearly taking one last realistic shot at a comeback and his odds of stepping into an MLB batters box again seem to be climbing. He’s gotten himself back into shape and seems more motivated than ever before.

He’s definitely slimmed down – this was from last week pic.twitter.com/khlOy6YoT1

— Your Name Here (@connik1) December 20, 2023

Sometimes, it takes reaching rock bottom before you realize how big of an opportunity you’re about to miss out on. At 30-years-old, there should be plenty of swings left in that bat. While it won’t be for the Minnesota Twins, I’d still love to see a Miguel Sano comeback story anyway.

Read all of our offseason Minnesota Twins blogs!