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

#MNTwins roster moves:

-select contracts of Graterol & Miller
-recall Smeltzer, Littell & Stewart
-reinstate Astudillo & Wade from IL
-add AA pitching coach, Bello, to staff pic.twitter.com/5XA1FwOPKE

We had been hearing rumors about this happening over the last couple of days, once rosters expanded in September, and now it is official. Brusdar Graterol is on his way to the big club, among a handful of others (more on them in a second). Graterol’s first pitch of his MLB career will likely be the hardest pitch ever thrown by a Twins pitcher, as long as it’s a fastball of course. He’s been touching 103 in the minors all season and the hardest pitch the Twins have on record is 100.3 MPH, thrown by Juan Morillo in 2009 (I don’t know who that is either).

I wrote about this a few days ago but the Twins are going to need Graterol, and the Twins entire bullpen, to be on the top of its game when the playoffs get rolling. They proved again last night, with Martin Perez on the mound, that we have absolutely zero depth in our starting rotation. The Twins will also bring up pitching coach, Cibney Bello, who has been working closely with Graterol all season.

If the Minnesota Twins are going to make any noise in the 2019 MLB Playoffs, they will need their once-rotten bullpen to be the cleanest part of their team.

The Other Call Ups

I can’t imagine Martin Perez being a lock in the starting rotation anymore so that could be Devin Smeltzer’s new role until playoff time comes. He can be effective out of the bullpen though too. I don’t know how much Stewart will help the Twins at this point. He’s been given a lot of chances. Hopefully Littel is here to stay, so we don’t have to see anymore temper tantrums.

The biggest impacts (outside of Graterol, hopefully) will be Willians Astudillo and LaMonte Wade. We all know the diversity that The Turtle  brings to your lineup and Wade has been ready to play outfield in the big leagues for a year or two now. Both will be big time while we wait for Buxton’s return.

There seem to be a couple of names missing, for young pitchers who could help the Twins in this playoff race, but Jorge Alcala pitched last night and Jhoan Duran pitched the night before. There is still room for those guys, when they are rested.

Let the fun begin! I want to see Graterol tonight sooooooooooo badly now…

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Sitting one spot from the top of the American League with a record of 32-16, you would be hard pressed to find a problem that needs attention for our Minnesota Twins. Luckily for Rocco Baldelli’s club, we have come across one issue that most ball clubs would love to have…

We have too many hot bats to fit into the lineup.

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If you’ve been watching these boys, you don’t need me to break down every hot hitter. And if you haven’t been watching this historic start, then you should WAKE THE FUCK UP …..before your Mother has yet another reason to be disappointed in you.

But lets take a look at a starting lineup and the players left over.

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Geez, what a stacked group of young men. You could argue that all of the names on that list are everyday players, except for maybe Astudillo. Once healthy, Cruz and Garver need to play everyday. Cruz was signed with the intent to be your everyday DH and gets paid the big bucks to do so. And Garver only holds the team’s second-best batting average at .329 while still standing 3rd (in this ridiculously powerful lineup) in HR’s with 9.

“The Turtle” is a fan favorite, who can rake the ball, play beautifully just about anywhere, and never strikes out (but swings at everything). Gonzalez is the ultimate utility man, (who also gets paid the big bucks for it) can’t be kept out of the lineup… He racked up 3 more RBI’s last night with a HR and a 2B. Adrianza will be the oddest man out. He has minor league options still available and isn’t seen as a future cornerstone, but he’s been promising at times this, always playing solid defense and coming up with some big hits.

Finally, there’s a new Venezuelan firecracker that’s exploded onto the scene in the last week.. Luis Arraez is the name, and pissing all over baseballs is his game.

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The #MNTwins finally have their first hit and who else would it be… pic.twitter.com/J1DASbt0Ku

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) May 22, 2019

Give this guy an MVP trophy rn #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/XZIoSedapC

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) May 22, 2019

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Just when we thought our lineup couldn’t get any more dangerous, Arraez arrived into Minneapolis with something to say about it.

How the fuck are Falvine and Rocco going to handle Cruz and Garver eventually coming back from injury? Do whatever it takes, I guess. Say goodbye Ehire.. Send down an extra pitcher… just find a way to keep all of these hot hitters in the Twin Cities. The difficult part though no matter who you keep up here, will be getting all 13 hitters enough playing time so they’re not thrown out of sync. There’s nothing a major league hitter hates more than too many off-days. When you’re in a groove, you don’t want anything to fuck with your flow.

How great is it to have 1st-place team problems like this? Instead of talking about firing people, we’re worried about having too many good ones. I’m sure this is an issue that Rocco welcomes with open arms. I mean… you could be a White Sox fan…

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Ozzie Guillen to Adam Eaton – "Eaton, nobody liked you in a White Sox uniform in the clubhouse." pic.twitter.com/v9PhOp5PXM

— Starting 9 (@Starting9) May 22, 2019

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Clem Clemans | Minnesota Sports Fan

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While everyone in Minnesota is getting primed and lubed up for the Final Four that will be in town this weekend, there are way more important things going on in a place that is much different than our own… and much worse. In the land of Philadelphia, where horse shit is what’s for dinner, the Twins will be playing 3 very important baseball games.

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Of course, it’s only games 6,7, and 8 of 162 and soon, this series will be long forgotten as we continue to trudge through the 2019 MLB season. However, for a team that will have to prove it’s for real all season long, this is the perfect series to play early on, and that is why this measuring-dick (not a typo) series has me stuck at midnight.

We get to watch our suddenly sexy pitching staff face off against one of the best lineups in the MLB. And tonight, Jake Odorizzi will be the first in line, looking to prove his first start was for real and that his 2019-self will be a much better version than his first season in the Twin Cities.

What to Watch For:

There are some very intriguing things to keep an eye on throughout this series. Obviously, everyone is going to be excited to watch Bryce Harper. I don’t give a fuck about old-school baseball anymore. There’s too much that needs to be fixed to worry about that. I hope I see a Bryce Harper bat flip that lands in the god damn press box. But, beyond Harper, here are some things I’ll be paying attention to:

1. We are about to see an offensive explosion – This could be the perfect time to play the Phillies. We might see some sparks fly all weekend long. Though the Twins are 4-1 and off to a great start, they’ve been suprisingly held together by good pitching and timely hits…. quite the opposite of what we expected coming into the season. The Twins have just 1 Home run through 5 games. That won’t last long. I’m waiting to see some BOMBS dropped by the away team over the next 3 days.
2. Can our pitching hold up? – The Twins currently rank 6th in ERA, 5th in WHIP, and 4th in H/9, throughout the entire MLB… Those are real facts… check the link. How long can they hold up. I can’t imagine they’ll remain in the top-5 or 10 all season but if they can hang in the top-half of the league, we should be in for a fun summer, as long as the boom-sticks get going on offense.
3. Does the Baldelli Touch Continue? – Everything Rocco Baldelli has touched so far has turned to gold. Fuck, he threw a college pitching coach into the clubhouse and now our same shitty pitchers from 2018 are sitting in the top-5 of most major stat categories…. it’s insanity.
4. Willians Astudillo Cont. – How do you take this guy out of your lineup? He is hitting over .600 with an OPS of over 1.6 on the season… and comes through EVERY TIME he is put into a clutch situation… plus, you can play him anywhere. We know Astudillo will be part of the catching rotation but where else will he play and what will the Twins do to make sure he gets at-bats IF he stays on his smolder-streak…

I’m so jacked for this series that I’m a bit depressed they are starting with a night game tonight, instead of these day-games you get so used to at the beginning of the season… Keep the hope alive. And if you need more Twins in your life today, the first half of our podcast episode was dedicated to them this week.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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The Minnesota Twins (finally) begin the season this week. But what can we expect from the Twins this year?

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Well said, Yoda. This is a talented Twins team that could come together and make a serious run… but that talent could also all get hurt in the first week of the year like last season and end up in 3rd place again in the Central Division. While I can’t predict the future, I can give you a good idea of what it will look like if 5 of the Twins most important pieces succeed or fail, and how they all fit together.

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Miguel Sano

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Some good news for the Twins: Miguel Sano's boot was removed today and he will begin rehabbing tomorrow.

— Betsy Helfand (@betsyhelfand) March 22, 2019

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Miguel Sano finds himself at a crossroads heading into the 2019 season. After another freak injury slowed the start of his 2019 Spring Training, he once again finds himself behind the 8-ball. And after a season where he found himself demoted all the way to Single A, Sano has a lot to prove in what might be his final shot. If Sano plays well, then he will stick around and become a staple of this franchise for the foreseeable future. If he struggles again, we may see the last of him in a Twins uniform.

 What success looks like: Miguel Sano can hit home runs, we know that. In his rookie season in 2015 he hit 18 home runs in 80 games. His numbers dipped a little in 2016 but he still hit 25 dingers in 116 games. Sano’s most productive season was 2017, when he hit 28 homers and drove in 77 runs in 114 games. Even in a disastrous 2018, where he only played in 71 games and batted a putrid .199, Sano still hit 13 home runs.

 Sano will miss the first few weeks of the season, but seeing that he’s never played more than 116 games in an MLB season, he’ll have plenty of time to put up numbers as big or bigger than in seasons past. The addition of Marwin Gonzalez will afford Sano more time to ease in as a DH, while he finishes his recovery. That should help his bat come around more quickly. Baseball-Reference projects him to hit 19 home runs in 2019.

 What failure looks like: Injury-ridden.

If Sano suffers a setback in his rehab and misses most of May or his conditioning suffers due to his walking boot, that’s caused him over a month of conditioning. Or if Sano isn’t able to play 3rd base, due to injury or poor conditioning. All of these injury and health factors could lead to Sano having another disastrous season and likely a trip elsewhere next year. Outside of injuries and weight/health, if Sano doesn’t show improved plate discipline, he’ll never reach his potential.

 What 2019 Miguel Sano looks like: Give me the over on those projected numbers. Sano is hungry to prove he can stick at the major league level and I think he does it. Put me down for .260 30 home runs and 100+ RBIs (all in 130-ish games).

 BOLD Sano prediction (because above wasn’t bold enough): Sano forces the Twins to buy at the Trade Deadline, singlehandedly, with 10 plus home runs in July.

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Byron Buxton

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Man #Twins CF Byron Buxton is having some kind of spring.

2-for-3 today with a run scored and 2 SB.

13-for-29 .448 AVG/1.451 OPS with 5 R, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 3 SB, 2 BB, and only 4!! K's (12.9% K rate)

— Christopher Soto (@SotoC803) March 18, 2019

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Another Twin in need of a big bounceback campaign, Buxton has been slowed by injuries and inconsistency throughout his young career. We have seen flashes of his potential, and if he can put it together for a full season (and stay healthy) he’ll be a great CF at the Major League level. If not, he will join Miguel Sano in needing a change of scenery.

What success looks like: Byron Buxton’s biggest flash of optimism happened in the second half of 2017, when he hit 11 home runs down the stretch with a .300 BA. His defense is already good enough to warrant him being in the lineup every day, when healthy, and some “back to the basics” with his swing has resulted in monster numbers in spring training.

Success would be Buxton flying all over Target Field, making acrobatic catches and hitting gaps with the stick, increasing his confidence and allowing him to finally unlock his full potential. Success for Buxton this year would be nearly 150 games played with the production that resembles the end of his 2017.

What failure looks like: Injured… again.

Another big talent and more injury concerns… If Buxton gets hurt early on and can’t stay on the field, all of the progress we’ve seen in Spring Training could be for not. Beyond injuries though, if Buxton again struggles with off-speed pitches and takes hits to his confidence early, who knows where his career goes..

What 2019 Byron Buxton looks like: If Buxton’s Spring Training numbers are any indication, he should be in line for a huge bounce-back campaign. Baseball-Reference has him projected for .237 with 8 home runs. I’m taking the (way) over on those numbers. If (BIG if) we get 150 games from him, 15 home runs, 90 runs scored and a batting average around .270 that would be a massive win for the Twins.

BOLD Buxton prediction: Buxton steals 50 bases and is only caught 5 times.

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NELSON CRUZ

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As I detailed in December, Nelson Cruz has done damage on fastballs up this past season. In demoing with MLB Network, Cruz said he made attacking high fastballs a priority.

Very good adjustment for the old dog.pic.twitter.com/d0IE63dk2X

— Parker Hageman (@ParkerHageman) March 25, 2019

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Cruz was the big free agent addition for the Twins this offseason. With an offense that already boasts several impressive young players, he felt like a perfect fit as the veteran DH. Cruz has been remarkably consistent throughout his career, and will be a welcome addition to the middle of the lineup. The biggest question with Cruz is whether or not his numbers dip (down to .256 & 97 RBI…) last year was just a blip on the radar or a sign of gradual decline. The Twins will happily take Cruz, even on a “down year”

What success looks like: Cruz has averaged 40 homeruns over the last 5 seasons in both Seattle and Baltimore. While it is very easy to hit homeruns in Baltimore, it isn’t as easy in Seattle, so his numbers look very good, overall. Target Field initially was labeled a “pitchers park” but it seems that the offense has started to catch up. If Cruz can replicate his numbers over the past few years and be one of the leaders in the clubhouse, his addition will go down as one of the better signings the Twins have had in recent memory.

What failure looks like: If the 2018 season was not just a down year for Cruz and he declines at an even faster pace..Or, if he battles injuries and isn’t able to stay on the field. Those are really the only 2 factors that can lead to Cruz having a season deemed “a failure”

What 2019 Nelson Cruz looks like: Nelson Cruz is projected to hit 34 home runs and drive in 101 runs in 2019. I will again take the over because Cruz is hungry to prove last year was a fluke. Plus he loves hitting at Target Field.

BOLD Cruz prediction: 45 home runs for Cruz, and a Silver Slugger award for his efforts.

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Trevor May

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And I think that Trevor May will be their best reliever all year long and could be a fantastic closer! https://t.co/tHCYEG5rTi

— Seth Stohs (@SethTweets) January 29, 2019

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Unlike the offense, the Twins really didn’t throw any money into their pitching staff other than Martin Perez and Blake Parker. Craig Kimbrel is still twiddling his thumbs waiting for the phone to ring, but don’t get me started on that. Someone on this roster will have to get some saves. And I think Trevor May should be the one to get the shot. Rocco Baldelli hasn’t named a closer officially, and probably won’t for a while, but May has the stuff to thrive.

What success looks like: May grabs the closer role and never lets it go. He has the personality to handle the ups and downs of the job and would do the Twins a huge favor by stepping up and succeeding. May doesn’t rely on contact, and can blow hitters away. He becomes the latest in a long line of closers who fall into the role, including LaTroy Hawkins, Eddie Guardado, Joe Nathan and Glen Perkins.

What failure looks like: May has struggled with injuries throughout his career, including a Tommy John procedure that had him out for most of last season. If he struggles early, that could lead to a massive jump in his numbers and loss of confidence. Any prolonged inability to get hitters out could lead to a trip down to Rochester… or off the team completely.

What 2019 Trevor May looks like: Projections right now for May line up more with a late inning set-up reliever as opposed to a closer. I’m going to just throw these numbers out as what he could have: 75 appearances, 90 innings, 115 K’s and an ERA under 2.50. He is going to have a big year folks.

BOLD May prediction: 35 saves for May, and three playoff saves as well.

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Rocco Baldelli

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Rocco Baldelli says the #MNTwins bullpen strategy for at least the start of the season will be to play matchups and situations, but he's just going to let things play out and is open-minded to changing that. pic.twitter.com/pdSvdFnPsN

— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) March 25, 2019

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We finish with the Twins first year manager because he will be pivotal to this team’s success (or lack thereof). Baldelli was brought in because he is forward-thinking and innovative. The managers he has worked for are some of the most forward thinking and well-respected minds in the game. But how will he handle his first challenge? How will he handle his first late-game bullpen meltdown? How Baldelli reacts when the game is on the line will be nearly as important as how his players perform.

What success looks like: Baldelli employs some of the same tactics his former manager Kevin Cash has in Tampa Bay, and they lead to the team enjoying early success. While Cleveland falters, the Twins keep pace and make meaningful additions at the Trade Deadline and end up making the playoffs.

What failure looks like: The Twins struggle out of the gate. Baldelli turns out to be more of a Gabe Kapler than Kevin Cash, and the team ends up selling off assets at the deadline.

What 2019 Rocco Baldelli looks like: I expect Baldelli to manage aggressively, and to not be afraid to try new things. He will falter, as all managers do, but I think Baldelli enjoys success in his first year as Twins manager. The Twins are projected to win 80 games in 2019. Put me down for the over.

BOLD Baldelli prediction: 93 wins and Manager of the Year for Baldelli.

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So there you have it, some of the names that are most pivotal to Twins’ success in 2019. Will they? Won’t they? I have no idea. One thing I do know though:

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Willians Astudillo is on the #MNTwins’ Opening Day roster.

— Dan Hayes (@DanHayesMLB) March 25, 2019

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THIS is the one thing I am most happy about. Let Astudillo be the everyman. Let him play everywhere. Win or lose we should have fun with it. Because if it isn’t fun, what the hell is the point?

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Seth Toupal | MinnesotaSportsFan.com

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In case you’ve been busy watching all of the great Minnesota winter sports teams (lol) and haven’t realized Twins’ Spring Training has started, let Willians Astudillo remind you that baseball season is nearing. Jose Berrios is now well-aware.

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And here is your zen moment of the day: Williams Astudillo taking Jose Berrios deep in a showcase matchup at the #MNTwins Open House. pic.twitter.com/937h46v9B4

— John Bonnes (@TwinsGeek) February 18, 2019

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Don’t cry for Jose Berrios. I’m sure he’ll be just fine. (If not, the Twins might be in big trouble for 2019 and beyond…) I take a lot more from the Willians Astudillo side of this early fan souvenir. Especially since Astudillo went deep again in his next at-bat off of Trevor May…

Willians was in Minnesota for about 47 seconds last season and became a fan favorite. He can play EVERY DEFENSIVE POSITION (this is literal — he also pitched — see “standard fielding” table below) and specializes at catcher, which is always valuable.

Everyone on the team and in the stands loves him. Baseball needs that type personality on a winning team. The bonding level on a baseball team goes beyond other sports. There is so much downtime in baseball and if you don’t like your teammates or the locker room has a bad vibe, it can derail a season. Especially in the MLB where everything about baseball is magnetized with a 162-game schedule spread across 6 months. Baseball is 90% mental.

And, when you look beyond his locker room savvy, the guy hit .355 with 21 RBI last year in limited games (29) and Baseball Reference is projecting another solid season. It’d bode well for everyone if Astudillo can earn a spot on the big league club directly out of camp.

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Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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