Starlin Castro had a really rough start to the 2019 season and May was by far his worst month. In May he hit for a .208 average with no home runs and 8 RBIs. He performed way below expectations for a veteran who is known for hitting ability.

Castro struggled in the first half of the season, batting for a .245 average with six home runs and 24 RBIs. His poor performance in the first half made it pretty much impossible to trade him at the deadline and if the Marlins did find a suitor for Starlin, they most likely wouldn’t have gotten much in return.

In the second half, Castro reached a new level. He hit for a .302 average, hammered 16 home runs, and drove in 52 RBIs. I know it would’ve been nice to have been able to trade Castro at/before the deadline for prospects but he became really fun to watch in the second half. He went on an absolute tear. Whether you like Castro or not, you can’t deny that he actually reached another level.

There are some people on twitter who believe that Starlin Castro purposely tanked his stats in the first half to stay with the Marlins. He ended up having a very good relationship with Miguel Rojas and Martin Prado and possibly felt like he didn’t want to be traded away from his closest friends on the team so it is a possibility. Do I think that’s the case? No, but it’s possible.

Starlin Castro finished his final year of his 7-year, $60 million dollar contract which he signed back in 2012 when he was with the Chicago Cubs, but there is a club option for him to return to the Marlins if they want him back. The option would cost the Marlins $16 million but there is definitely value in Castro. A veteran presence in the clubhouse and a mentor for Marlins rookie Isan Diaz. Castro could play second, shortstop and third so there is some versatility that comes with him.

If the Marlins do want to bring him back but don’t want to pay him $16 million, there is a $1 million buyout and they could potentially negotiate a cheaper deal. I do believe Castro has bought into what the Marlins are building and that he wants to stay in Miami. He is represented by Magnus Media, who is based in Miami, and also represents the Mesa brothers who signed with the Marlins last October.

In my opinion, I do think that the Marlins should consider bringing back Castro on a cheaper/team friendly contact. He could be more valuable than simply on the field by being a mentor and by possibly recruiting players in the free agent class this offseason.