Twins utilityman Willi Castro named to American League All-Star team

SAN FRANCISCO – Willi Castro has thrived this season by filling in, at various times, for injured Twins Royce Lewis, Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton.

His reward for such good work seems appropriate: He gets to fill in for an injured American League All-Star.

Castro on Thursday was added to the roster for next Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas, joining Correa in representing the Twins. The 27-year-old utilityman takes the place of Houston second baseman Jose Altuve, a nine-time All-Star who withdrew because of lingering soreness in his left hand, an injury he suffered, coincidentally, at Target Field last Friday when he was struck by a Josh Winder sinker.

But Castro, of course, could have taken the place of just about any position player on the All-Star roster, given the versatility he has displayed since joining the Twins in 2023. Castro has played in all 93 Twins games this season, but he hasn’t manned any position more than 29 times.

“I can honestly say I don’t know where we would be right now if not for Willi Castro,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said of Castro in late June. “Whenever you put a player on the injured list, we have these meetings where we basically say, ‘Well, now what?’ With Willi, you don’t have to have that meeting — he can play, and play well, wherever you put him.”

In addition to starting at least 10 games at five different positions — left and center fields, plus second base, third base and shortstop — Castro has contributed at the plate more than ever before. He leads the Twins in hits (88), doubles (22), triples (five), walks (31) and stolen bases (10), and has seven home runs and 29 RBI.

Which is why Baldelli gently complained this week when Correa was the only Twins player named to the original American League roster.

“It feels obvious to me that we have several players that had not good, but they had spectacular first halves. And when that happens, you want your players commended for it and acknowledged throughout the league,” Baldelli said. “There are some teams that have two and three and four All-Stars, and that’s great because those players are excellent, but we should have more. It’s clear in my mind.”

Castro, who has retired all four batters he has pitched to this season, signed a minor league contract before the 2023 season after he was released following four years with the Detroit Tigers. He played in 124 games for the Twins last year, leading the team with 33 steals.

“The more I play, the better I play,” Castro said recently. “This rhythm that I’m in, it’s because I’m in there every day, staying focused.”

Said Correa: “If you think about it, he’s the real MVP of this team. He plays everywhere. If somebody gets hurt, he replaces them with no problem. When you have a guy like that, he makes you so much better as a team. We should appreciate him way more than we do.”