Last season’s Opening Day starter, Luis Castillo, feels like he could go deep into the game if he gets the ball when the Reds open this season on July 23 or 24.
“Right now, because I’ve been here such a long time and doing all of my bullpen sessions, I think I could go out and pitch six, seven innings. That’s how good I feel right now. I’m perfectly OK to do so,” Castillo said.
Castillo, the 27-year-old right-hander, has been in Cincinnati since spring training was interrupted on March 13.
“I feel really good,” Castillo said. “I thank God that I feel really good. I’ve been working with our bullpen coach, Lee Tunnell, and I’ve been coming out here and getting my work in. I’m happy we’re getting back to baseball, and we’re getting to play.”
Quarantining in Cincinnati worked well. Castillo’s wife gave birth to a girl – the couple’s second child.
“My family was here with me this whole time,” Castillo said. “I didn’t have any time that was boring. Working with Lee, we did find a local university we were able to throw at. I had my time to get work in.”
Castillo worked at Xavier. The head coach there, Billy O’Conner, a former minor league catcher, caught Castillo.
“It was a good place to throw and do my bullpen sessions,” Castillo said.
Castillo went 15-8 with a 3.40 ERA and struck out 226 in 190 2/3 innings last year. Pitching coach Derek Johnson says the team will take an unconventional approach to roles given the 60-game season. Castillo is up for that.
“Back when I was in the minors, I was actually a closer and a relief pitcher,” he said. “So, I’m really up for anything and will pitch where I need to. You have to adjust and get ready for whenever you get the call.”
TWO MISSING: Anthony DeSclafani and Pedro Strop didn’t participate in Friday’s workout because the club had not gotten their coronavirus test results – not because they tested positive.
Both players participated Saturday.
The team did have two players, which it has not named, test positive. Those players could be in the group of 22 players assigned to Prasco Park in Mason.
SENZEL-SATIONAL: Reds manager David Bell singled out Nick Senzel as looking impressive on Day 1 of workouts.
“Nick came into spring training, and he was strong,” Bell said. “But any time you’re injured, it affects everything, and you can’t do what you’re normally used to doing to get yourself into shape, no matter how hard you try.
“Having the extra three months, you could tell, and I talked to him about it, but he really leaned out. He’s even stronger than he was in spring training. I have only been around Nick a little over a year, but some other players commented that his body is back to where he was previously. He looks like he’s in outstanding shape. Strong with the bat, but even watching him a little bit in the outfield, he’s flying. He’s moving really well.”
Senzel, by the way, hit a ball into the upper deck on his first swing of batting practice.
[ Keep up with the latest news on the Reds. Download the Cincinnati Sports app. ]
WALK-OFF CIRCLE? Players are going to have to adjust to the social-distancing rules this season.
“Some of the best things about baseball is the banter and just being able to walk up and give a guy hug or fist bump or high-five a guy,” Tucker Barnhart said. “We joked yesterday: If there’s a walk-off home run, what’s that going to look like? Is it going to be the biggest victory circle of all time? Is it going to stretch all the way out to center field?”
Barnhart is fine with the measures taken and credited the Reds staff.
“I hope it doesn’t go unnoticed, but our health and performance staff has been phenomenal,” he said. “They’ve done a great job throughout this entire process. When we were away from Cincinnati and in our homes, checking in daily. ‘Hey, how you doing? How’s your family? How’s the workouts going?’ They provided us so much to maintain our baseball shape that it’s no surprise that it’s as detailed and as clean and everything is as scheduled and structured, so we’re in the safest place as possible.”
LIVE ACTION: The Reds will begin taking live batting practice on Sunday.
“(Live practice sessions) are going to just kind of morph into controlled scrimmages,” Bell said. “In some ways, they can kind of start here in a couple of days. Definitely, by Week 2, it’ll look more like a scrimmage. By next weekend, we’ll be playing innings – some amount of innings – that look like games.”
It has not been decided if the Reds will play games against other teams.
“That’s still being ironed out,” Bell said. “We’re hopeful. I think we’re allowed to have a maximum of three within the last four days of the camp. We would like to be able to do that. It’s still being worked out.”
"right" - Google News
July 05, 2020 at 01:53AM
https://ift.tt/31Ni6wG
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Castillo says he's good for 6, 7 innings right now - The Cincinnati Enquirer
"right" - Google News
https://ift.tt/32Okh02
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Cincinnati Reds right-hander Castillo says he's good for 6, 7 innings right now - The Cincinnati Enquirer"
Post a Comment