Rusney Castillo Clears Waivers, Assigned To Pawtucket
BOSTON (CBS) -- Rusney Castillo has cleared waivers and is back in Triple-A.
The Red Sox outfielder, placed on waivers over the weekend, went unclaimed and was outrighted off of Boston's major league roster on Monday. Castillo was assigned to Pawtucket, where he's hit .245 with a .624 OPS and just one homer and 13 RBIs this season.
"He really hasn't hit on a consistent basis, so that's what it really comes down to. It's a situation where he needs to go down and put up offensive numbers," Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said of the move on Monday. "I've seen it happen with people where are taken off rosters and come back. It's still a possibility because he has ability... But that's what the real shortcoming has been, his offensive production."
Boston signed Castillo to a $72.5 million deal as an amateur player out of Cuba in August 2014. He's failed to live up to the lofty expectations since, playing in just 99 games in the majors. During that span, he's hit just .262 with seven homers for Boston.
The 28-year-old Castillo had a chance to earn a roster spot in his most recent call-up, with outfielders Brock Holt and Blake Swihart on the disabled list, but went 0-for-4 at the plate with three strikeouts. He's appeared in just nine games for Boston in 2016.
Castillo is owed $32.5 million over the next three seasons with an option for 2020, plus over $2.3 million in signing bonuses.
