According to a report from the Sun-Times, the front office told Starlin Castro at the end of the season that he would not be traded this winter.
Gordon Wittenmyer reported “if the front office is true to its word and projections, sources say the All-Star shortstop-turned-second baseman was informed at the season he would not be traded.”
The Cubs view “him as potentially important, established contributor to its 2016 lineup.”
The Sun-Times pointed out that it’s unclear if he will be “considered more of a trade candidate near the July 31 deadline if his value increases and the Cubs believe at that point they have a playoff-caliber middle infield without him.”
Starlin Castro is incredibly popular within the clubhouse and the way he handled being benched and losing his starting job in August only improved his standing with the front office and coaching staff.
Castro is under contract through the 2019 season and is owed $38 million. Castro has a club option for the 2020 season that would pay him $16 million.
After the move to second base, Castro excelled at the plate over the last two months of the season. Castro batted .295/.319/.464 with 15 doubles, a triple and six home runs for a .783 OPS post- All-Star break. Castro had a .296/.315/.437 slash line with a .752 OPS in August. And in September, Castro hit .426/.452/.750 in 23 games with five doubles, a triple and five home runs for a 1.202 OPS.
As a second baseman, Castro batted .339/.358/.583 with 11 doubles, a triple and five home runs for a .941 OPS.
For the year, Castro hit .265/.296/.375 in 151 games with 23 doubles, two triples and 11 home runs for a .671 OPS.
Reports following the Cubs’ playoff run suggested Castro was able to relax and just play baseball after Joe Maddon made the change at shortstop. Castro was pressing prior to being benched because he was trying not to lose his job to Addison Russell.