Rusney Castillo already making impact for Red Sox
By Conor Duffy
Rusney Castillo hasn’t done too much with the bat since the Red Sox promoted him to Boston on Friday. Through his first four games of the season, he has gone just 3-15 with no walks or extra-base hits. The hits will come for Castillo, though, and even if he isn’t hitting much at the moment, his defense has provided plenty of value in its own right.
Look no further than last night, when Castillo potentially saved the Red Sox multiple runs despite an 0-3 performance at the plate. With two incredible diving catches to rob Twins’ catcher Kurt Suzuki, Castillo made his mark on the game without question.
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But Castillo is no all-defense player a la Jackie Bradley Jr., so expect him to contribute with the bat before long. Castillo has shown no shortage of offense firepower during his brief tenure in professional baseball, hitting .333/.400/.528 with a pair of home runs in a ten-game stint with the Red Sox last season. His minor league numbers are also quite impressive this season, with Castillo slashing .293/.341/.440 in 18 games with Triple-A Pawtucket this season.
Castillo brings a brand of exciting baseball that has largely been absent from the Red Sox this season. His speedy, aggressive style of play contrasts with Boston’s patient approach at the plate and hesitant nature on the base paths, almost reminiscent of the “Lead Sox” of the early 2000’s.
Through his first four games with the Red Sox, Castillo has clearly made an impact with his defense. Before long, the hits will begin to pile up for Castillo and he’ll begin to show off his impressive power-speed combination. The Red Sox signed Castillo to a record $72.5M contract from Cuba last season, indicating that they envision him as a major part of the club’s future. Castillo has already shown the raw tools to fulfill that potential and he should become one of Boston’s stars sooner rather than later.