Thursday, November 16, 2017

Where In The Wide Red Sox World Is Rusney Castillo?

(Boston Globe Photo)
With all the names bandied about this off-season, there hasn't been much mention of a player who once carried so much promise: Rusney Castillo. To refresh your memory, on August 23, 2014, the Red Sox signed the Cuban native to a seven year, $72.5 million contract. That pact isn't up until after the 2020 season. Last off-season, Boston did not place Castillo on the 40-man roster—exposing him to the Rule 5 Draft. Not surprisingly, no other team scooped him up—not at that salary and with his level of performance. Although, in 2017, he did fare pretty well at AAA Pawtucket—hitting .314 in 87 games and clouting 15 HRs. Still, since he will turn 31 next July, it's likely Boston will leave him off the 40-man roster again this year. And, again, no team will pick him up. So, the $72.5 million albatross will still hang around the organization's neck—probably until 2020. Bad contract. No biscuit.