Nationals Reportedly Sign Former All-Star Starlin Castro

Remember Starlin Castro? Sure you do! 29 years old, already 1,600 hits to his name, .280 career average. There's a lot of desirable stuff here!

We forgive you if you haven't considered Castro's pedigree in a while, though. While he once brought free-swinging levity to the Yankees, right as they were on the cusp of their latest machine-like incarnation, the infielder was shipped to Miami in exchange for Giancarlo Stanton, sending him off the baseball map for the past two seasons.

Turns out, Castro was his usual self for much of those two years, excelling in 2019 in particular, hitting .270 with 22 homers and 86 RBI. Now, he'll be joining the World Champs.

Castro will be the team's everyday second baseman, likely picking up at-bats mostly from Asdrubal Cabrera, now a free agent, who hit .323 down the stretch last year, as well as an impressive .286 in the World Series.

And no, Nats fans, this addition doesn't take the team out of the expensive Josh Donaldson derby. It does, however, provide insurance if Donaldson chooses Atlanta or Minnesota, and adds an All-Star bat who could thrive on a return to a larger stage.

He may, however, block top second base prospect Carter Kieboom, for whom a potential Kris Bryant trade just became a bit more likely.

Something to keep an eye on, for sure.