The New York Yankees got 25-year-old infielder Starlin Castro from the Cubs after Chicago signed Ben Zobrist. The trade has all the makings of a massive steal by the Yankees, who love Castro’s bat, his baseball IQ, his $6 million salary and his brand new “I’ve got something to prove” situation. A player with Castro’s potential doesn’t come along often, and the Yankees are a great fit for him, especially after a rocky tenure in Chicago where he wasn’t universally beloved despite his unique accomplishments.
Castro has nearly 1,000 hits in his young career. His batting average has been on the decline (.265 last year) after hitting .300 or better in his first two seasons (2010-2011), but he’s still a hitter pitchers need to contend with. Castro, born in the Dominican Republic, will find a warm welcome in New York where he’ll be given every opportunity to return to form. He was an All-Star as recently as 2014.
