Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro flew home to the Dominican Republic last Wednesday following the death of his cousin and three close friends in a car wreck. He is back in the Cubs’ lineup Tuesday, having been activated from the bereavement list, but will be playing with a heavy heart in the Cubs’ series-opener at Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park.
“It’s a really tough time, man,” Castro told the Chicago Sun-Times on Tuesday. “The only guy that knows [why] is God. He knows how things happen. I had to be there no matter what, to go there and take that time. But I’m happy to get back. I’m feeling bad, but I’m here and I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing.”
The 24-year-old is having a resurgent 2014 campaign, batting .284/.333/.429 with 13 home runs and 64 RBI in 125 games after batting just .245/.284/.347 with 10 home runs and 44 RBI across 162 games in 2013.
