The defending World Series Champion Washington Nationals added more depth and experience to their infield after losing Anthony Rendon to the Los Angeles Angels, adding infielder Starlin Castro on Friday. The two sides agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract, although, the deal is pending a physical. Castro is entering his 11th season in the major leagues, the first six of which were with the Chicago Cubs. He was thought to be the future of that organization at the time, but his struggles on defense forced them to trade him away.
He ended up playing for the New York Yankees for two seasons, and two more years with the Miami Marlins more recently. Castro is coming off a season that saw him bat a solid .270 for the last-place Marlins, to go with 22 home runs and 86 RBIs, but the team declined his $16 million option and paid a $1 million buyout on November 1st. He is expected to get more playing time in the NL East with the Nats figuring out their infield since Rendon exited. The newest National, Castro is a career .280 hitter with 133 home runs and 636 RBIs.
In two other minor deals, reliever Will Harris has switched sides from last year's World Series, joining the Nationals on a three-year contract. The deal is worth $24 million and will put the 35-year-old in the eighth inning role for a team he pitched against for the Houston Astros last October. He was also the man that surrendered the go-ahead home run to Howie Kendrick in Game 7 of that series. In 60 innings pitched, Harris had a 1.50 ERA and 62 strikeouts for Houston last season, to go along with 26 holds and four saves for a 107-win team. Meanwhile, over in the American League, the Los Angeles Angels have added former Minnesota Twins catcher Jason Castro on a one-year, $6.85 million contract. Castro has nine years of major league experience and hit .232 with 13 home runs and 30 RBIs in 79 games for the Twins last season. The former first-round draft pick out of Stanford has 86 career home runs and 292 RBIs in 825 games.
He ended up playing for the New York Yankees for two seasons, and two more years with the Miami Marlins more recently. Castro is coming off a season that saw him bat a solid .270 for the last-place Marlins, to go with 22 home runs and 86 RBIs, but the team declined his $16 million option and paid a $1 million buyout on November 1st. He is expected to get more playing time in the NL East with the Nats figuring out their infield since Rendon exited. The newest National, Castro is a career .280 hitter with 133 home runs and 636 RBIs.
In two other minor deals, reliever Will Harris has switched sides from last year's World Series, joining the Nationals on a three-year contract. The deal is worth $24 million and will put the 35-year-old in the eighth inning role for a team he pitched against for the Houston Astros last October. He was also the man that surrendered the go-ahead home run to Howie Kendrick in Game 7 of that series. In 60 innings pitched, Harris had a 1.50 ERA and 62 strikeouts for Houston last season, to go along with 26 holds and four saves for a 107-win team. Meanwhile, over in the American League, the Los Angeles Angels have added former Minnesota Twins catcher Jason Castro on a one-year, $6.85 million contract. Castro has nine years of major league experience and hit .232 with 13 home runs and 30 RBIs in 79 games for the Twins last season. The former first-round draft pick out of Stanford has 86 career home runs and 292 RBIs in 825 games.
