Mets Deal for 2B Luis Castillo
The National League East-leading New York Mets neatly filled a big hole at second base, acquiring three-time All-Star Luis Castillo from the Minnesota Twins for a pair of prospects Monday. The 31-year-old Castillo will give the Mets three switch-hitters at the top of their lineup when injured Carlos Beltran returns and brings speed and a .304 average to a batting order already topped by major league stolen-base leader Jose Reyes. Castillo twice was the NL steals leader, though bad knees have limited his running in recent seasons.
A three-time Gold Glove winner who still has above-average range, Castillo also should solidify the defense in a standout infield with Reyes at shortstop, David Wright at third and Carlos Delgado at first. Ruben Gotay had been playing second since Jose Valentin broke a bone in his right leg when he fouled off a pitch at Dodger Stadium on June 21.
Minnesota gets catcher Drew Butera, who will report to Double-A New Britain, and outfielder Dustin Martin, who will go to Class-A Fort Myers. The deal, which came together in less than 24 hours, was completed one day before the deadline for making trades without waivers.
“With Valentin going down, this is a move we need to do,” Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. “For me, it’s important to have a guy to the right of Delgado to cover ground.”
Beltran, who has not played in nearly a week because of a strained oblique muscle, appears headed for the disabled list.
Castillo, who is making $5.75 million this season, can become a free agent after the World Series. He has only nine stolen bases in 13 attempts and just 29 walks in 349 at-bats with 11 doubles, three triples and 18 RBIs, but he has been one of only a handful of consistent hitters for the Twins this year.
“He was going to be a guy that this winter we were probably going to look at as a free agent,” Minaya said. “Now we have a better opportunity to look at him.”
The Mets, who tied the crosstown Yankees for the best record in baseball and were one win from the World Series last year, led the surging Philadelphia Phillies by 3?? games and the Atlanta Braves by 4?? games in the NL East race when the day began.
The Mets, whose World Series odds are 6/1, visit the struggling Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night in a battle of division leaders. For complete MLB odds, visit the Bodog Sportsbook.