Fantasy News

• Twins' Willi Castro: Two hits, homer

  Rotowire Apr 24, 2024

  Castro went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and a double during Wednesday's 6-3 win over the White Sox. Castro tagged Garrett Crochet for a three-run homer in the second inning, plating Austin Martin and Christian Vazquez for his second long ball of 2024. Castro has generated a hit in six of his last seven games, a stretch in which he has four extra-base hits, a .333 batting average and five runs batted in.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Out of Friday's lineup

  Rotowire Apr 12, 2024

  Castro is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Tigers. Castro has just three hits in 32 plate appearances this season and will head to the bench Friday for the second consecutive contest. Kyle Farmer will man the hot corner and bat sixth in the series opener at Detroit.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Not in Wednesday's lineup

  Rotowire Apr 10, 2024

  Castro is absent from the lineup Wednesday versus the Dodgers. Castro has been getting most of the starts at third base versus right-handed pitching since Royce Lewis (quadricep) landed on the injured list, but Dodgers righty Bobby Miller has reverse splits for his career. Kyle Farmer will get the nod at the hot corner in Castro's stead.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Out of Monday's lineup

  Rotowire Apr 8, 2024

  Castro is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Dodgers. The switch-hitting Castro started the first seven games of the season but has a .130/.286/.130 slash line and will take a seat for Monday's contest. Jose Miranda, who was called up from Triple-A St. Paul earlier in the day, will start at third base and bat fifth.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Takes over at third base

  Rotowire Mar 31, 2024

  Castro started at third base and went 1-for-2 with a walk and a caught stealing in Saturday's win at Kansas City. Castro and Kyle Farmer are expected to get the bulk of starts at third base with Royce Lewis out a month or more due to a quad injury. Castro will likely be the left-handed part of a platoon with Farmer, and the duo could get an extended run with top infield prospect Brooks Lee out several weeks with a back injury. Castro had 33 stolen bases last season and was caught just five times, so his out on the basepaths was a rare occurrence.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Strong start to spring

  Rotowire Mar 3, 2024

  Castro started at shortstop and went 1-for-3 in Saturday's spring training loss to Philadelphia and has gone 4-for-10 overall this spring. He appears set for a multi-position utility role again this season, MLB.com reports. Castro had the best season of his career in 2023, as he became a solid utility player and a surprising source of stolen bases. Castro gained manager Rocco Baldelli's confidence on the basepaths and went 33-for-38 in steal attempts. The switch hitter will likely get most of his time in the outfield against left-handed pitching if the roster stays healthy, but he can fill in at almost any position but catcher if injuries strike.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Gets $3 million

  Rotowire Jan 11, 2024

  Castro agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with the Twins on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports. Castro took advantage of some injuries ahead of him on the depth chart in 2023 and had a breakout season, slashing .257/.339/.411 with nine home runs and 33 steals in 124 games. He is eligible at outfield and third base in fantasy leagues and should once again be a source of cheap speed while working in a super utility role.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Starting in center field

  Rotowire Oct 10, 2023

  Castro is starting in center field and batting eighth Tuesday in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Astros, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Castro didn't start any of the Twins' first three postseason games but has now been in the lineup for each of the last two after starting in left field in Game 2. He reached base twice and scored a run in that contest. Michael Taylor will begin Game 3 on the bench.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Sitting Sunday

  Rotowire Sep 24, 2023

  Castro isn't in the Twins' lineup Sunday against the Angels. Castro will sit for the second consecutive game after recording five hits over his last three games. His absence will allow Michael Taylor to start in center field while batting ninth.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Out of lineup

  Rotowire Sep 23, 2023

  Castro will hit the bench Saturday against the Angels, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports. Castro is one of several regulars who will get a rest the day after the Twins clinched a postseason berth. Andrew Stevenson will get the nod in center field.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Goes deep in victory

  Rotowire Sep 20, 2023

  Castro went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer in Tuesday's 7-0 win over Cincinnati. Castro reached on an infield single in the fifth inning before hitting a towering, two-run homer in the seventh that extended Minnesota's lead to 6-0. In 15 games since returning from an oblique injury Sept. 3, the switch-hitting speedster has posted a slash line of .291/.333/.545 with three home runs, seven RBI, 11 runs and two steals across 61 plate appearances. Castro has started 14 of 16 games since his return and figures to maintain his everyday role given his positional versatility and the fact that Carlos Correa is once again dealing with plantar fasciitis.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Homers, tallies three hits

  Rotowire Sep 10, 2023

  Castro went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and two runs scored in Saturday's 8-4 victory over the Mets. Castro doubled in the bottom of the second before coming around to score on a Donovan Solano single, making it a 2-2 game. The left fielder then added a solo homer in the eighth to extend Minnesota's lead to four runs, and he finished with three hits on the day -- his first time accomplishing that feat since July 18. Castro is now batting .471 in September and has recorded multiple hits in three of his last five games.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Scores twice in starting role

  Rotowire Sep 5, 2023

  Castro went 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI in Monday's 20-6 win over the Guardians. Castro did a little bit of everything for the Twins in the blowout victory, starting in center field before spending two innings at third base and then pitching the final inning of the game. After returning to the Twins' active roster over the weekend following a three-week stay on the injured list due to the oblique strain, Castro could get a look as the team's preferred option in center field in the short term while both Michael Taylor (hamstring) and Byron Buxton (knee) remain on the shelf.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Officially reinstated

  Rotowire Sep 3, 2023

  Castro (oblique) was activated from the 10-day injured list Sunday. The 26-year-old has been sidelined since Aug. 12 with an oblique strain but will rejoin the Twins on Sunday after a three-game minor-league rehab assignment. With Michael Taylor landing on the shelf with a hamstring strain, Castro could see regular run in center field for the near future.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Set for activation Sunday

  Rotowire Sep 3, 2023

  Castro (oblique) will be activated from the 10-day injured list ahead of Sunday's game against the Rangers, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Things seemed to be trending that way, and a roster spot has opened up with Michael Taylor (hamstring) expected to land on the IL. Castro could see playing time in center field while Taylor is out and, of course, is also capable of filling in at multiple other positions.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Could return Sunday

  Rotowire Sep 2, 2023

  Castro (oblique) is expected to join the Twins this weekend in Texas and could be activated Sunday, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. Castro had been on a rehab assignment at Triple-A St. Paul but left Wednesday for the birth of his second daughter. It looks like he'll be activated this weekend and will not need any more rehab games. Castro was placed on the injured list Aug. 15.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Return date from IL unclear

  Rotowire Aug 29, 2023

  Castro (oblique) is 2-for-7 in two rehab games at Triple-A Rochester, but it's not clear when he'll be activated from the 10-day injured list, MLB.com reports. From a health standpoint, Castro looks ready to return from the IL, but his wife is due to give birth Wednesday, so he could end up immediately heading to the paternity list if activated Tuesday or Wednesday. With that in mind, Castro may not be cleared to play in games for the Twins until after the roster expands to 28 men Friday.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Scratched with back issue

  Rotowire Aug 12, 2023

  Castro was scratched from the lineup for Saturday's game against the Phillies due to lower-back tightness, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Castro had been set to play third base. Jorge Polanco will slide over to the hot corner in Castro's absence, with Edouard Julien taking Polanco's spot at second and Ryan Jeffers joining the lineup to take Julien's vacated designated hitter spot.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Swipes 29th bag

  Rotowire Aug 10, 2023

  Castro went 1-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a steal in Wednesday's 9-5 loss to Detroit. Castro's now recorded exactly one hit in seven straight games, sporting a .810 OPS over that span. The 26-year-old utilityman has been an unexpected source of speed this season -- he's now 29-for-33 on stolen base attempts, tying him for fifth most in the league, after swiping nine bags in each of his previous two seasons. Castro's positional versatility has afforded him regular at-bats in his first year with the Twins. He's now slashing .247/.329/.380with five homers, 42 runs scored and 26 RBI across 308 plate appearances.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Twins' Willi Castro: Gets fifth consecutive start

  Rotowire Aug 7, 2023

  Castro will start at third base and bat seventh in Monday's game against the Tigers, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports. Though Michael Taylor appears to have wrested the everyday center field role away from Castro, the latter's defensive versatility will allow him to stick in the lineup for the fifth game in a row. Castro has now picked up three starts at third base and two in left field over those five games, contributing two stolen bases during that stretch to bring his total up to a team-high 28 for the season. The 26-year-old looks like he'll remain a mainstay in the lineup versus left-handed pitching, and he should be able to work his way into the starting nine at least semi-regularly versus right-handed pitching, too.

  ... See More ... See Less