PITTSBURGH — Patrolling right field on Monday meant a little bit more to Willi Castro.

Castro, donning the No. 21 without a name on his back, took a few steps to his left and caught a fly ball in the second inning, a few feet away from the 21 that was etched onto the field at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Monday, the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates — along with all Major League Baseball — honored Roberto Clemente, the former Pirates legend.  

“For me, it’s something that I’ll never forget, especially today since I’m playing right field, the position he played and the number he wore, means a lot to me,” Castro said.

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Clemente passed away on Dec. 31, 1972 in a plane crash that was intended to deliver relief aid to Nicaragua after an earthquake had hit the Central American country. The Commissioner’s Award was renamed to the Roberto Clemente Award and has been handed out annually to the player that “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement, and the individual’s contribution to his team.”

“His legacy, I think everyone is aware of the legacy that he had after all these years,” Castro said. “He’s someone that everyone knows. He was a great player, humanitarian, a lot of passion in what he did. Off the field, too, he was a noble person, he treated people well.”

Castro, who is Puerto Rican, wore No. 21 along with Kyle Tucker, this year’s Roberto Clemente Award nominee for the Cubs, and Justin Turner, the 2022 Roberto Clemente Award winner.

All 30 Roberto Clemente Award nominees, former winners of the award and Puerto Rican players, were allowed to wear No. 21 on Monday. Every member of the Pittsburgh Pirates wore No. 21.

“I think it’s probably one of the great honors that I’ll ever receive in this game,” said Turner, who won the award in 2022 as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. “Being mentioned in the same sentence as Roberto, knowing the humanitarian that he still is, his legacy is still providing and everything he did for people outside of the game, even though he was such an icon in the game, it’s something that’s truly special.”

Tucker is recovering from a left calf strain and is not playing, but he still had a No. 21 jersey at his locker in the visitors’ clubhouse at PNC Park.

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“Roberto did a lot during his time, not just baseball, but also the impact that he gave back,” Tucker said. “So, it’s pretty cool to have that honor, put the patch on there and everything, especially, since we’re here in Pittsburgh today.”

Castro remembers being a young child and hearing about the Puerto Rican legend and he knows every Roberto Clemente Day will help carry on his legacy – and he’s honored to do that.

“I always heard his name mentioned a lot,” Castro said. “I think he’s a guy that will live on forever. He’s one of the best Latino ballplayers. For me, it’s something that I’ll never forget.”