MIAMI -- Nelson Cruz, the reigning American League Player of the Week, was not in the Twins' starting lineup on Tuesday against the Marlins at Marlins Park.
With Minnesota playing in a National League ballpark, the ballclub didn't have the benefit of the designated hitter. Cruz has not appeared in the field this season, and he started just four games in right field as a member of the Mariners in 2018.
When the Twins visited the Phillies and Mets for a five-game stretch in early April, Cruz struck out in his lone pinch-hit appearance. Still, manager Rocco Baldelli sees the situation as a flexible one during this three-game series in Miami.
"I think it's a great sign of a really good player and a guy that’s probably carried many teams from many different periods of time over the course of his career," Baldelli said of Cruz's sixth career Player of the Week honor. "He's been swinging the bat great. I don’t know any other way to say it. He’s been doing things that you don’t see many guys do.
"So it is a unique time right now, rolling into some Interleague games where, obviously, the first day here Nellie is not in the lineup. It does gives us the ability to use him at any of the biggest spots that come up at any point in the game. Can pinch-hit Nellie for basically anyone in the lineup at any time, and that’s a good feeling. It also forces us to operate a little differently, but it also forces the other team to sit there and actually acknowledge that he's actually available at any time. We’ll certainly see him out there, and we'll see him have some big AB's for us."
Sano's fond memories
The last time Miguel Sano appeared at Marlins Park, he put on a show during the 2017 All-Star festivities.
Sano finished as the runner-up in the Home Run Derby to the Yankees' Aaron Judge, hitting 10 homers to Judge's 11. He particularly enjoyed sending baseballs off the windows well past the left-field wall.
During the All-Star Game, Sano took over for Tribe third baseman Jose Ramirez and produced an RBI single against lefty Alex Wood in the fifth inning to give the American League a 1-0 lead. The AL would go on to beat the NL, 2-1.
"I remember when I was in the All-Star Game, I was so excited in the field and everything," Sano said. "It was unbelievable. It was crazy to be in the first All-Star Game in Miami. I loved it."
Romo's return to Miami
Reliever Sergio Romo, whom the Twins acquired from the Marlins this past weekend, found himself back at Marlins Park while rocking new digs on Tuesday afternoon.
Romo, who learned the news from fans that approached the bullpen during the ninth inning of Saturday's D-backs-Marlins game, made sure to stop by the home clubhouse to grab a few things he had left behind -- including a pair of cleats -- before heading to the visiting clubhouse prior to the Twins-Marlins opener.
"I was looking down a couple days ago when I got a chance to wear it for the first day," Romo said of his Twins uniform. "It felt normal, and I will say for one reason: The number's the same; I still get to wear No. 54. Just seeing 54 makes it feel like home. Thankful to have a jersey, thankful to have my number, thankful to have a jersey with my name on it, a locker with my name on it. Just happens to be the Minnesota Twins now. Let's go Twins."
While Romo jokingly hoped he wouldn't have to face his former club, he got the call in the eighth inning of a one-run ballgame. The right-hander threw a scoreless frame on 20 pitches, working around a hit-by-pitch and recording a strikeout in Minnesota’s 2-1 victory.
"My impressions are very similar to what I knew he was," Baldelli said. "He enjoys coming in and winning games and making big pitches, and I'll say it again, he's very at home when he's on the mound. He's very confident in his abilities, he's got a unique energy that he brings to the field every day and when he's out there doing his thing. It's always fun watching him out there, and it was a great first day."
“I've seen him plenty. This isn't the first time I've seen sliders that go batter's box to batter's box,” said Jake Odorizzi, who was a teammate of Romo’s in Tampa Bay and pitched 5 2/3 innings to earn his 12th win. “Came in and did a great job. It's always tough facing your old team if you're here half of the year, a full year, whatever it may be, and it's separated by a day. He was with these guys two days ago. It's good. It's tough. He came in and did a really good job.”
Injury updates
• C.J. Cron (right thumb inflammation) will play on Wednesday and Thursday for Class A Advanced Fort Myers as part of a rehab assignment. Cron, who was in the visiting clubhouse at Marlins Park and has been out since July 21, will make the drive to the west coast of Florida.
• Willians Astudillo played catch on Tuesday prior to the Twins taking batting practice. He has been sidelined since June 27 with a left oblique strain.
"He’s moving around well. As far as true baseball activity, I don’t have much to add to the situation," Baldelli said of Astudillo. "This is a situation where he’s moving in a positive direction. He’s had no setbacks, but it does take time for this sort of injury to heal. These are not fast-moving types of injuries, but he’s running around in the outfield and shagging and doing different things, but I don’t think he’s imminently going to be out on a rehab assignment, probably more due to the offensive side of the game and swinging the bat. I think that’s still going to take a little bit of time."