Nats need a healthy and productive Castro next year

Our offseason player review series continues today with Starlin Castro, who was brought in last winter to help fortify the Nationals lineup, but played in only 16 games before suffering a season-ending injury.

PLAYER REVIEW: STARLIN CASTRO

Age on opening day 2021: 31

How acquired: Signed as free agent, January 2020

MLB service time: 10 years, 150 days

2020 salary: $5 million (prorated $1,851,852)

Contract status: Signed for $7 million in 2021, free agent in 2022

2020 stats: 16 G, 63 PA, 60 AB, 9 R, 16 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 0 CS, 3 BB, 13 SO, .267 AVG, .302 OBP, .450 SLG, .752 OPS, 97 OPS+, 1 DRS, 0.0 fWAR, 0.4 bWAR

Quotable: "His bat-to-ball skills are really good. He can put the ball on the bat. ... I've seen him before stand up there and foul balls - good pitchers - foul them off and foul them off, and all of a sudden hit a rope somewhere." - Manager Davey Martinez on Castro

2020 analysis: The Nationals knew they weren't going to be able to replace Anthony Rendon with one player, so they went out and tried to make sure they were covered around the infield entering the season. But none of the newcomers came as highly touted as Castro, the veteran infielder who was coming off a big second half for the Marlins in which he discovered a never-before-seen power stroke.

Martinez, who coached Castro with the Cubs, felt so strongly about his production capabilities that he selected him to bat third on opening night. It took a week or so for him to get going, but a four-hit night July 30 against the Blue Jays offered a glimpse into his abilities. And after homering Aug. 12 in New York, Castro was sporting a solid .286 batting average and .792 OPS.

Then came a freak play in the field during the conclusion of a suspended game in Baltimore, a diving attempt in which Castro landed hard on his right wrist. He eventually departed, and moments after the game ended, the Nats promoted 20-year-old prospect Luis García and placed Castro on the injured list with a fractured right wrist.

Though he was hoping he might be able to return sometime in October, the Nationals' 26-34 record made it a moot point. Castro spent the last six weeks of this short season rehabbing at home in Miami, watching the Nats from afar and wondering if he might've been able to make a difference if he hadn't gotten hurt.

2021 outlook: The Nationals signed Castro to a two-year deal, so he's returning in 2021 and will again be counted upon to hold a prominent spot in the lineup. It seems unlikely Martinez will bat him third again, though, not wanting to break up the Trea Turner-Juan Soto combo that proved so fruitful. And if the club acquires another big bat to hit behind Soto, it seems the highest we'll see Castro in the lineup next season will be fifth.

There's also a question of where Castro will be playing in the field. A shortstop early in his career who spent a decent chunk of the 2019 season at third base, he worked exclusively at second base with the Nationals. Martinez believes that's his best position. But if García makes the 2021 roster, it's possible the club would like the kid to remain at second base, and that could move Castro to third (if Carter Kieboom isn't in the picture). Or the Nats could decide to move García to third and keep Castro at second. At some point, they'll have to make this decision.

The best thing Castro can do to make sure he's in the lineup somewhere is produce at the plate. The Nationals don't need him to be their big bat in the middle of the order. But they do need him to be productive and help lengthen a lineup that felt way too thin this year.