Final offseason, because the Blue Jays waited for then-free agent shortstop Bo Bichette to resolve whether or not he would return to Toronto, the membership signed a power-hitting infielder who averaged a house run each 25.7 at-bats, a greater charge than Bichette’s one each 27.7 on the time.
However the Blue Jays let the infielder, Rodolfo Castro, go when Castro knowledgeable them that he deliberate to pursue a contract with a Japanese professional workforce.
Now, the previous Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies shortstop is a free agent once more after the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters introduced his departure.
The 27-year-old exits Japan after a season of diminished energy and an off-field authorized dispute within the Dominican Republic, with no workforce publicly lined up for 2027.
Castro, born in Los Llanos, Dominican Republic, signed with Pittsburgh as a global free agent in 2015 and made his MLB debut on April 21, 2021. In 194 video games throughout three seasons, he batted .219 with 22 house runs. The Pirates traded him to Philadelphia for Bailey Falter on Aug. 1, 2023, and he has not performed within the majors since.
His introduction to the massive leagues was historic. On July 28, 2021, two house runs towards the Milwaukee Brewers made him the primary participant within the trendy period whose first 5 hits have been all house runs.
Castro’s Energy Drop-Off With Hokkaido Nippon-Ham
Energy has lengthy outlined Castro. He’s an “energetic free-swinger with appreciable uncooked energy,” based on Baseball America.
“I don’t go up there with a mentality to hit house runs,” Castro mentioned, as quoted by DK Pittsburgh Sports activities. The homers, in his telling, got here from contact quite than design.
“In a 12 months of firsts, I’ve positively by no means seen 5 hits, 5 homers,” then-Pirates supervisor Derek Shelton mentioned, as quoted by the Tribune-Evaluate. Shelton didn’t count on the tempo to final.
Castro hit 11 house runs in 71 video games for Pittsburgh in 2022, then hit .235/.324/.421 with 19 homers and 18 stolen bases at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2025. His 2025 complete works out to a house run each seven video games.
Japan introduced a decline. In 71 video games for the Fighters, Castro hit .215 with eight house runs, 24 RBI and 4 stolen bases. That’s three fewer homers than in his 71 video games for the Pirates in 2022, and a charge of 1 each 9 video games.
On Oct. 14, Castro disclosed an arrest warrant within the Dominican Republic tied to a contested $10,285 bill for house design work, based on Yakyu Cosmopolitan. He mentioned he by no means settled on a payment or signed an settlement and that he supplied $2,000 to cowl the agency’s time. His keep in Japan was the explanation he missed his scheduled court docket appearances, he mentioned.
The Fighters introduced that Castro left Japan the evening of Oct. 14, whereas the membership was taking part in within the Pacific League Climax Collection last stage. He had been off the lively roster since Sept. 28 and was not on the bench for the sequence. Teammate Franmil Reyes defended him on Instagram, writing that the state of affairs may occur to anybody, based on Each day Sports activities.
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Blue Jays’ Castro Launch and Free Agent Outlook
Toronto signed him to a minor league contract with a spring coaching invitation on Nov. 25, 2025, because the free company of Bichette hung over the membership’s offseason. The Blue Jays had deep infield choices even when Bichette departed.
Why did Toronto let him go? The membership launched him to pursue the Nippon-Ham deal on Jan. 9 with no recreation look for Toronto, based on 7News Boston‘s Ari Alexander. Castro would seemingly have been at Triple-A Buffalo in any other case. Every week later, Bichette agreed to a three-year, $126 million cope with the New York Mets.
No MLB membership has been publicly linked to Castro since Nippon-Ham lower ties. The Pirates, Phillies and Blue Jays have all employed him, and he can play second base, shortstop and third base, credentials that match the veteran infield depth golf equipment usually add on minor league offers.
Castro, who turns 28 in Could, has not publicly detailed his plans for 2027.
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