Most of the Sea Dogs were packing for home after Sunday’s 8-5 season-ending playoff loss to Binghamton, but two earned promotions to Triple-A Pawtucket for the International League championship series.
Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo and Venezuelan pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez will join the PawSox, who open their best-of-five series Tuesday in Rhode Island against the Durham Bulls.
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Castillo is a ballyhooed free agent the Red Sox signed recently to a $72.5 million contract after he defected from Cuba. He played only five games for the Sea Dogs, all during the playoffs, and Boston’s front office instructed Sea Dogs Manager Billy McMillon to have Castillo DH on Sunday instead of playing center field.
“If you think of this as spring training, this is March 2 or March 3 for him,” McMillon said. “He probably hasn’t played three games in a row since last year.”
Castillo was 2 for 5 on Sunday and batted .357 for the series with four runs scored, tied with Keury De La Cruz for most on the team.
Rodriguez, a lefty acquired at the July trading deadline in a deal that sent Andrew Miller to Baltimore, pitched well in his only playoff start Friday.
He held Binghamton to three hits in 6 2/3 innings in Portland’s 6-3 victory.
In six August starts with the Sea Dogs following the trade, Rodriguez went 3-1 with a 0.96 earned run average. In the first four months of the season with Bowie, Rodriguez was 3-7 with a 4.79 ERA.
“They’re working me both sides of the plate and that’s what I like to do,” Rodriguez said of the different approach he takes within the Red Sox system. At Bowie, “they’re just working me one side. Here, they’re working me both sides with fastball and change-up and everything.”
SECOND BASEMAN Sean Coyle did not play Sunday after being hit with a pitch in the left wrist on Saturday.
“The X-rays came back negative, but there was a lot of inflammation and swelling,” he said. “I couldn’t really do anything today.”
With Coyle out and Castillo restricted to DH, McMillon shifted Mike Miller from third to second, Stefan Welch from first to third, David Chester from designated hitter to first base, moved Shannon Wilkerson from right to center and put Jonathan Roof, a converted infielder, in right field.
“Whenever you have a bat like that that’s not in the lineup, it really makes a difference,” said Binghamton Manager Pedro Lopez. “He’s a great player. I think we’re going to see this kid playing in the big leagues not too long from now.”
Roof made the defensive play of the day, racing to his left and going horizontal for a diving catch in right field to rob Brian Burgamy of an extra-base hit in the third inning.
“He obviously smoked it,” Roof said. “It was either, take a chance on it or it’s going to go by you. So I was like, what the heck, I’ll give it a shot.
“I took a chance and it worked out.”
COYLE IS ONE of six Red Sox minor leaguers expected to play in the prospect-laden Arizona Fall League.
Pitchers Robby Scott, Aaron Kurcz and Madison Younginer are also headed west, as are former Sea Dogs Deven Marrero and Keith Couch.
They will play for the Surprise Saguaros, who are also made up of prospects from the Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers organizations.
ALTHOUGH THE CROWD of 2,813 was the smallest at Hadlock in Sea Dogs playoff history, the box seats were mostly filled and the fans did their part to support the home team.
“It was really nice to see the fans were into it,” McMillon said. “I don’t think anybody thought it was over until Burgamy (at first base) caught that ball from (Binghamton shortstop Wilfredo) Tovar. I think everybody thought we had a chance. We just came up a bit short.”
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