Breaking down the Cubs’ trade for Willi Castro

Kamil Krzaczynski - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 11 hours ago

Once Eugenio Suarez came off the market, it was almost as if the entire Cubs fandom suffered a massive gut punch. After all, Suarez was the biggest bat on the market, and when you look at the Cubs' needs or what they needed to add, a power-hitting third baseman was at the top of their list, and Suarez was perfect for that situation.

Even with him off the market, the Cubs had a chance to add an impact bat potentially and chose to take the next best option at third in Willi Castro, as he comes to the Northside for the rest of the season. Known more for his ability to be a utility-like player, Castro is one of those guys who can move around the diamond, but should see most of his playing time with the Cubs come at the hot corner.

A switch hitter, Castro has had an up-and-down season as he has combined to hit .245 across 86 games with 10 homers and 27 RBIs. He does, however, crush left-handed pitching, and that alone was a massive reason why the Cubs wanted to get him on this team, as they have been dreadful against left-handed pitchers this season.

Although he may not be having the season he would've liked, Castro has been a very reliable hitter most of his career, and given the rest of the Cubs lineup, he has an opportunity to put up some good numbers. For the most part, Castro hits right around the .250 mark as he is a career .248 hitter.

He has added 55 homers and 74 steals, despite not having the power numbers you'd expect from a third baseman, which is why he has made a living as a utility player. The Cubs have a history of building their roster around versatile players, and Castro is the perfect addition for a team that likes to have versatile players.

As expected, to get talent, you have to give up talent, and the Cubs had to give up a pair of prospects in order to get the deal done, as right-handers Sam Armstrong and Ryan Gallagher are off to the Twins organization. A 13th-round pick back in the 2023 MLB draft, Armstrong has bounced between starter and reliever as the Cubs have tried to figure out his best path.

With AA Knoxville this season, Armstrong has fared well at times, but has also struggled, going 2-7 across 19 games, posting an ERA of 4.62, which is well above his career 3.72 mark. Either way, Armstrong has shown plenty of potential on the mound, and the Twins are going to continue to develop him as a swing guy until they can figure out the perfect role for him.

Gallagher, on the other hand, stings as the right-hander has emerged as one of the Cubs' best pitching prospects. Taken in the sixth round of the 2024 draft, Gallagher went from a no-name prospect to the ace of the South Bend Cubs staff to emerge as one of their most promising pitching prospects.

While his 4-6 record may not indicate that, Gallagher has posted a 3.43 ERA this season, including a 1.59 ERA in two AA starts. Look for him to move to the Twins AA team, where he easily could become a top-15 or even a borderline top-10 prospect in the Twins organization and could become a huge piece to their future.

Grade B-: This is another one of those trades that isn't going to wow anyone, but it's a trade the Cubs had to make. Third base has been an issue for this team all season, and once Suarez came off the board, the Cubs' option to find third base help diminished.

Castro isn't a third baseman by trade, but he has plenty of experience at the hot corner and should give the Cubs a nice boost against left-handed pitching. Had the Cubs found a way to make this move without including Gallagher, they would've received a higher grade, but that is where things are sitting as Castro will be a free agent at season's end.