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'Beyond the Dugout': Cleveland Indians pitcher Aaron Civale talks favorite hobbies, getting engaged

Dave Chudowsky sat down for an in-depth conversation with the Tribe right-hander back in the spring.

CLEVELAND — Indians pitcher Aaron Civale has more than impressed since being called up to the big leagues last summer, posting a 2.47 ERA in 13 starts.

But what does the 25-year-old like to do when he's not toeing the rubber? To find out, 3News' Dave Chudowsky sat down with him for the latest edition of "Beyond the Dugout"!

NOTE: These interviews too place during Spring Training in Goodyear, Arizona, before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. That's why you will not see any masks or social distancing.

Chudowsky: These questions, they can get pretty tough. I mean, I'll give you this opportunity to walk away if you want to.

Civale: No, we're good.

Chudowsky: You're all right?  

Civale:  Yeah, I’ll try

Chudowsky: All right...What was your favorite sport as a kid? Was it baseball, or something else?

Civale: It's always [been] baseball. I always wanted to play whatever my older brother was playing.  His favorite sport growing up was basketball, but since I was probably about four baseball's always been my favorite.

Chudowsky: Favorite hobby.

Civale: That'd have to be either cooking or video games.

Chudowsky: Okay, favorite video game.

Civale: "Call of Duty" is always a good game to play. I’ve been playing "Assassin's Creed" a lot recently.

Chudowsky: Do you play with a lot of your teammates?

Civale: Yeah, every once in a while.

Chudowsky:  Like, can't you be in one room and they're in another house?

Civale: Yeah, definitely. It's helped stay connected some guys throughout the off season or whatnot.

Credit: AP
Cleveland Indians' Aaron Civale delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Chudowsky: Is there a teammate you play with the most?

Civale:  I play one of the kids I work out with in the off-season. [He's] with the Marlins organization, Sterling Sharp. I play "Call of Duty" with him pretty frequently, "Fortnite" every once in a while.

Chudowsky: And you said cooking as well. What's your favorite dish?

Civale: Kind of just look stuff up and get the ingredients and try it. I enjoy making steak tips

Chudowsky: Anything you tried to make that you really failed at?

Civale: I'm not very good at cooking chicken. I let my fiance do that. For whatever reason, I just haven't figured out chicken. It's too rubbery whenever I cook it.

Chudowsky: So, getting married when?

Civale: No date yet.

Chudowsky: No date!

Civale: Recently engaged.

Chudowsky: Congratulations!

Civale: Thank you! 

Chudowsky: All right. Obviously she said yes, so that's half the battle.

Civale: (laughs) Yes.

Chudowsky: Best present she’s ever gotten you.

Civale: January was six years [since we've been together], so there's been quite a few.

Chudowsky: That's what I do here, I like to dig deep.  You know what I mean?

Civale: Yeah, I don’t know if there is one best one.

Chudowsky: Is there one maybe that you can remember giving her that you're like, "Yeah, man. "I nailed it"?

Civale: I mean, other than the ring? (laughs)

Chudowsky: (laughs) Yeah, that’s right. What was I thinking?...Let's end on this: Tell Cleveland something about yourself that nobody knows that they should know?

Civale: (thinks for a while) mmm…uh… I mean…

Chudowsky: You're going to win 20 games this year, how about that?

Civale: (laughs) I don't have anything for you for that one.

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