The Washington Nationals signed infielder Starlin Castro of Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic on Tuesday. The terms of the deal are for two years and $12 million according to the Associated Press.
Castro batted .270 with 22 home runs and 86 runs batted in with the Marlins in 2019. In 676 plate appearances and 636 at bats, he scored 68 runs and had 172 hits, 31 doubles, four triples, two stolen bases, 28 walks, a .300 on base percentage, .436 slugging percentage, 277 total bases and nine sacrifice flies. Castro also had career highs in home runs, runs batted in and sacrifice flies.
The Nationals will become Castro’s fourth Major League Baseball team. In addition to the Marlins, Castro has played for the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees.
Castro led the National League in hits (207) in 2011. That season he had 152 singles, 36 doubles, nine triples and 10 hone runs.
Two positive attributes Castro brings to the Nationals are his versatility and endurance. He can play both second base and shortstop. He was mostly a shortstop with the Cubs and then moved over to second base while with the Yankees and Marlins.
Also throughout Castro’s Major League Baseball regular season career, he has led the National League in at bats three times and played a full 162 regular season games in a season twice. While with the Cubs, Castro led the National League in at bats in 2011 (674), in 2012 (646) and in 2013 (666). He also did not miss a regular season game with the Cubs in 2012 and Marlins in 2019.
A four-time All-Star, Castro represented the Cubs and the National League in the 2011, 2012 and 2014 midsummer classic, and then the Yankees and the American League in the 2017 All-Star Game. The signing of Castro is another sign that the Nationals will be trying to defend their World Series title in 2020. Expect Castro to play second base on a regular basis in Washington with Trea Turner of Boynton Beach, FL at shortstop.
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