According to a report, Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro is likely out for the rest of the season after sustaining a high ankle sprain on a slide into home plate in Tuesday’s win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Patrick Mooney of Comcast Sports Net Chicago reported via Twitter:
Cubs GM Jed Hoyer says Starlin Castro's high ankle sprain is expected to be a season-ending injury.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) September 3, 2014
Castro was hurt in the bottom of the first inning as he slid in with a run in the Cubs’ four-run first that sparked their 7-1 win. His left spike appeared to catch in the dirt and he rolled over his ankle.
More from Chicago Cubs
- MLB Rumors: Yankees mistake, Cardinals trade package, Cubs choice
- MLB Rumors: Cardinals budging on Arenado, Orioles-Ohtani package, Yankees backup plan
- Cubs: Cody Bellinger is putting up come-and-get-me numbers
- Cubs front office deserves an apology for Willson Contreras hysteria
- MLB standings ordered by hard hit rate: Struggling Cardinals still cracking bats
He left the game, ending a nice bounce-back season for the three-time All-Star.
Castro has hit .292/.339/.438—a career-high .777 OPS—in 134 games this season, with 58 runs, 33 doubles, 14 homers and 65 RBI.
That followed up a disastrous 2013 season during which he hit just .245/.284/.347 in 161 games.
Castro also had 35 walks in 569 plate appearances, which doesn’t seem like a big deal until one considers that his career high of 36 walks came in 2012 in 691 plate appearances, meaning the 24-year-old was starting to learn a bit of patience at the plate.
Castro led the National League in 2011 with 207 hits and earned his first All-Star nod that season.
With Castro out, rookie Javier Baez will likely get the bulk of the playing time at shortstop, where he played in the minor leagues until moving to second base to prepare for his promotion to Chicago.
Baez, 21, has cooled off tremendously after a hot start. He hit three home runs in his first three games in the majors Aug. 5-7, but is now at .175./.208/.383 in 29 games, with seven home runs and 15 RBI to go with five walks and 51 strikeouts in 125 plate appearances.