The reign of Starlin Castro at second base has ended. Let’s take a look at some of his finest moments with the New York Yankees.
Sometimes in order to get something you really want, you have to sacrifice something important to you. While Starlin Castro wasn’t the star of the team (despite his name), he was still a major player for the New York Yankees.
He got a lot of flack during his time in pinstripes for playing lackadaisical defense (Robinson Cano, anyone?) and swinging at pitches in the dirt but when it all came down to it, Castro delivered.
While the excitement is buzzing around Giancarlo Stanton‘s arrival, the loss of Starlin Castro will not go unnoticed. He was a quality second baseman who filled a deep hole that was created with the loss of Cano. And he did it with a swagger that has not been seen in the Bronx for years.
Let’s take a look back at some of the greatest moments All-Starlin had in his two seasons manning second base in the Bronx.
Tag, you’re out!
Castro made his fair share of errors but he also made some absolutely phenomenal plays during his time at second base. This one from last season was by far one of the greatest.
Not only did he save Gary Sanchez from yet another error as a catcher, he pulled off an improbable tag that the entire town of Boston couldn’t believe.
I mean, the pure athleticism that he exhibited, even though he was just coming back from a devastating hamstring injury that derailed his promising start to the season. Boy, we’re going to miss seeing plays like that in the biggest rivalry in sports.
Castro Crushes
In 2016, Starlin Castro hit a career-high 21 home runs for the season. That’s a pretty stellar feat, especially considering his counterpart Didi Gregorius hit 20 home runs to make history as a duo.
While his 20th home run of that season wasn’t exactly a bomb, it was a laser shot to left field. And the entire team was ecstatic for him, especially his BFF Didi G.
Bad defender, eh?
Like I said before, Castro has made mistakes. He’s also made some pretty stellar plays. Here’s another example from the 2016 season.
Sure, he traveled a long way to get the ball. The most impressive part was the swagger he displayed while catching it. Some may say it’s lazy, others will say he’s just being cool.
Let me tell you, you can’t get much cooler than Castro.
In Grand Fashion!
Of all the home runs he has hit in his time in New York, this one was pretty awesome. Not very often can someone get four runs off of one swing but Castro did it.
It also came against powerhouse Cleveland, who went on to play (and lose to) Castro’s former team, the Chicago Cubs.
Ah, the excitement and the yelling to himself as he rounds the bases. Boy, we’re going to miss that from him next season.
And the grand finale!
Starlin Castro’s time in New York can be fully defined by this one moment from the 2017 season. This game was wild and crazy but Starlin made it absolutely incredible.
The swing was everything we love about Castro; he plays hard and he doesn’t care how ridiculous he looks. Plus, swag comes into play again.
How can you not miss this guy? He gives his all in the game and while, yes, mistakes happen, he still manages to get the job done for the Yankees.
And besides…if he leaves, we won’t be seeing anymore hilarious commercials like this with his best buddy.
Thank you, Starlin Castro, for giving us consistency at a position that has been up in the air for so long. Thank you for the home runs, the stellar plays and the laughs in the dugout. Most of all, thank you for playing the game with everything you’ve got.
Best of luck in your next adventure, Starlin. We look forward to seeing you at the All-Star game on the other side!
