Cubs' Willi Castro: Sitting after three straight starts
Rotowire
Castro is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pirates.
Castro had started in right field in each of the three games, but he'll hit the bench while Seiya Suzuki (illness) returns to the starting nine after missing each of the last five contests. Though the Cubs have an opening in right field while Kyle Tucker (calf) remains on the injured list, manager Craig Counsell could turn to Suzuki to fill the void in order to open up the designated-hitter spot for Moises Ballesteros, who has gone 7-for-18 with a home run, a triple and three walks. Ballesteros will be included in the lineup Wednesday and could be prioritized over Castro while the former is swinging the hotter bat of the two.
Castro is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against Atlanta.
Though he could end up getting most of the starts in right field while Kyle Tucker (calf) is on the injured list, Castro will hit the bench after he had been included in the lineup in five of the previous six contests. With Castro taking a seat, the Cubs will open up a spot at designated hitter for Justin Turner, leaving Seiya Suzuki to cover right field.
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Cubs' Willi Castro: Filling spot in right
Rotowire
Castro will start in right field and bat seventh in Tuesday's game against Atlanta.
Castro will cover right field on the same day that Kyle Tucker was placed on the injured list due to a calf strain. While Tucker was out of the lineup for Monday's series opener, Seiya Suzuki drew the start in right field, and Castro played center field while Pete Crow-Armstrong occupied the designated-hitter spot. Crow-Armstrong should patrol center most days moving forward with Suzuki as the DH, which should open up right field for Castro on a near-everyday basis. Castro is batting just .164 in 24 games for the Cubs, but his playing time and fantasy value could get a temporary boost with Tucker on the IL.
Cubs' Willi Castro: Swipes base, collects RBI in loss
Rotowire
Castro went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's 5-1 loss to Atlanta.
Castro had one of just four Chicago hits and drove in the Cubs' only run in the bottom of the second inning. The utility player also recorded his 10th stolen base of the year in 13 attempts. It's the second straight season that Castro has reached double figures in both steals and home runs. That gives the 28-year-old some fantasy appeal when he's in the lineup, though he has struggled since coming over to Chicago at the trade deadline, posting a .159 batting average and .410 OPS in 21 games with his new team.
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Cubs' Willi Castro: Collects two hits in rout
Rotowire
Castro went 2-for-5 with a run scored in Saturday's 12-1 win over the Angels.
Castro started at third base to give Matt Shaw a breather, then shifted to center field later in the contest. The veteran utility player got off to a slow start with the Cubs after coming over at the trade deadline, but he now has a hit in three of his last four games, during which time he's batting .308. Castro remains an inconsistent fantasy performer, though he can deliver some power and speed when he's locked in.
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Cubs' Willi Castro: Filling in for resting Shaw
Rotowire
Castro will start at third base and bat seventh in Thursday's game against the Brewers.
Castro doesn't have a clear path to an everyday role in Chicago, but his versatility will allow him to stick in the lineup for the third time in five games. Though Castro will be filling in Thursday for a resting Matt Shaw, the latter player has performed well since the All-Star break and seems to be strengthening his grip on a regular spot in the starting nine.
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Cubs' Willi Castro: Hits first Chicago home run
Rotowire
Castro went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run across both games of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Brewers.
Castro has been scuffling a bit since joining the Cubs at the trade deadline, but he delivered a key blast to help lead Chicago to a 6-4 win in the first game Tuesday. It was the utility man's first home run with his new team and 11th overall this season. Castro is now batting .150 across 12 games in a Cubs' uniform, though he has at least provided defensive versatility, and his big homer could get him going at the plate.
Castro went 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Orioles.
After getting traded over from Minnesota on Thursday, Castro made his Chicago debut Saturday, starting at second base and batting sixth. The 28-year-old figures to move around the field for the Cubs, picking up starts at multiple positions and allowing other regulars to get some rest. Castro is slashing .248/.337/.415 with 50 runs scored across 87 games this season, and despite not having an everyday spot, he should play often enough in Chicago to maintain fantasy value.
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