The Astros catcher wasted no time getting back to spring training so he could be with his...
Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado during spring training workouts at the Astros spring training complex at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023 in West Palm Beach .WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Puerto Rico lost a heartbreaker to Mexico in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals late Friday night, coughing up a two-run lead late, falling 5-4.
The veteran catcher's entrance into the clubhouse was a hit with his teammates as he made the rounds shaking hands and hugging each of them. Maldonado was there mainly to see his guys after being gone for nearly two weeks. As a veteran, Maldonado probably didn't have to come back so quickly — the— but Dusty Baker wasn't surprised to see him.
"Not really, that's Maldy," the Astros manager said."He came in to see the guys, and we wanted to see him, too." A bigger surprise was the arrival of starting pitcher José Urquidy, who made the 70-mile drive from Miami to get in some work at the Astros spring training facility despite his Mexico team still playing in the WBC. Urquidy has pitched just once in the tournament, giving up two runs in four innings of a 10-3 win over Canada on Wednesday. Mexico plays Japan in the WBC semifinals Monday night in Miami.
Maldonado got plenty of work in the tournament. He played in four of Puerto Rico's five games, including catching all nine innings in their last two contests. At the plate, he went 4-for-12 with a pair of walks.
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