SAN FRANCISCO – This whole All-Star thing isn’t about Carlos Correa anymore. No, the Twins shortstop has a more important agenda at Globe Life Park this week.
Twins’ Carlos Correa removed from AL All-Star roster because of injury
Shortstop Carlos Correa is again suffering from plantar fasciitis, although this time it’s to his right foot instead of his left, and not as bad as a year ago.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
July 15, 2024 at 4:23AM
“I’m going to let my kids meet their favorite player,” Correa said Sunday.
Wait, 2-year-old Kylo and 1-year-old Kenzo Correa’s favorite player isn’t …?
“It’s Aaron Judge,” Correa said. “Kylo sees Aaron Judge on TV and he goes crazy. He has a whole speech for Aaron Judge. He’s ready.”
Correa will have extra time to stake out the Yankee slugger because, after sitting out two games this weekend, he withdrew from the American League roster, and though he will attend, he won’t play in Tuesday night’s game in Arlington, Texas. Willi Castro will represent the Twins, and the Rangers’ Corey Seager was named to the AL team to replace Correa.
It’s a disappointment for Correa, who played in two other All-Star Games while with the Astros, but it’s necessary because he’s dealing with a dreaded ailment that has already negatively affected one season: plantar fasciitis.
The condition arrived Friday and was confirmed by an MRI exam Saturday, in Correa’s right heel — not his left one, he emphasized, the one he tried to play on last season and suffered his worst offensive season because of it.
“It’s not as bad as it was last year — a great relief. Last year, I played through a lot of pain,” Correa said. “With the [five-day] break almost here, I don’t want to get stupid and push it. We know how bad it can get. These days of rest should have me ready for the second half.”
The Twins won’t make that call until Saturday, but Correa is optimistic that his experience from a year ago will pay off.
“We kind of know how to manage it now, all the information we have from last year,” he said. “I think I’ll be ready.”
Get a move on
Diego Castillo — the infielder, not the pitcher, though both played for St. Paul this year — was eating lunch in the clubhouse in Louisville on Saturday when he got some unceremonious news. Manager Toby Gardenhire waved him over and said, “You’re going to the big leagues. Congratulations. Now get going!”
Castillo’s promotion is an unusual one, given that it might be for only one game — which would mark the second year in a row he played just one game in the majors, coincidentally also in San Francisco while with the Diamondbacks.
The Twins needed another infielder for Sunday but won’t play again until next Saturday. Castillo will likely remain on the big league roster over the break — at the $4,000-per-day MLB minimum, a nice $20,000 bonus — but Austin Martin is eligible to return from the injured list when the season resumes.
For that matter, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli pointed out, José Miranda, whose sore back put him on the 10-day injured list Sunday, might miss only one more game, given that he hasn’t played since Wednesday.
Byron Buxton didn’t start Sunday, his right elbow still sore from Friday’s collision with the wall, though he pinch ran and scored behind Castillo on Manuel Margot’s ninth-inning double.
“Just being a little cautious with it,” Buxton said.
Etc.
• To make room on the 40-man roster for Castillo, Saints righthander Caleb Boushley was designated for assignment. Boushley pitched in one game for the Twins on May 20 at Washington.
• Twins catcher Christian Vázquez, on making his first career start at third base on Saturday: “It was fun. Now I want to play shortstop.”
• The St. Paul Saints went 0-6 in Louisville this week, losing Sunday 9-4, meaning they did not win a game while their longtime broadcaster Sean Aronson was handling radio duties for the Twins.
Combined with the Guardians’ loss in Milwaukee, the Twins whittled their AL Central deficit to two games behind Cleveland.
