The Washington Nationals signed outfielder Rusney Castillo to a minor league deal on January 8, according to the team's official transaction log page. The 34-year-old last appeared in the Majors with the Boston Red Sox in 2016. He played for Boston's Triple-A affiliate as recently as 2019 and spent the 2021 season playing for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan. Castillo is a career .262 hitter in the Majors, with a lifetime .301 on-base percentage, seven home runs, and seven stolen bases. He'll provide the Nationals with some extra outfield depth. Washington's current outfield options to start alongside Juan Soto include Lane Thomas, Yadiel Hernandez, Victor Robles, Donovan Casey, and Andrew Stevenson.

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez kept his contract that will pay $19,375,000 in each of the next two seasons rather than opt out Sunday and become a free agent. The 33-year-old hit a career-low .213 in the pandemic-shortened season with seven homers and 27 RBIs, his lowest output since 2013. His salary was cut from $23.75 million to a prorated $8,796,296. His contract also gives him the ability to opt out after the 2021 World Series. Boston declined a $6.85 million option on left-hander Martín Pérez and opted to pay a $500,000 buyout to the 29-year-old, who became a free agent. Perez was 3-5 with a 4.50 ERA in 12 starts, striking out 46 and walking 28 in 62 innings in his first season with Boston after leaving Minnesota as a free agent. He had a $6 million salary, reduced to $2,222,222 in prorated pay. Pérez joined outfielders Jackie Bradley Jr. and Rusney Castillo, and right-hander Collin McHugh as Boston players who became free agents. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — To the surprise of no one, outfielder Rusney Castillo declined to opt out of his contract with the Boston Red Sox and will remain in their minor league system.Castillo agreed to a $72.5 million, seven-year contract in 2014 and has not appeared in a major league game since 2016. He could have voided the final season of his deal, which calls for a $13.5 million salary, and become a free agent.Now 32, Castillo hit .278 with 17 homers and 64 RBIs this year for Triple-A Pawtucket.He batted .262 with seven homers and 35 RBIs over 99 games for the Red Sox from 2014-16, then was sent outright to Pawtucket in June 2016. Because Boston removed him from the 40-man roster, Castillo's salary didn't count toward Boston's luxury tax payroll. Under a change in the labor contract agreed to after the 2016 season, Castillo's salary would count toward the tax payroll if Boston put him back on the 40-man roster and later sent him outright to the minors again.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

HAVANA (AP) — Major League Baseball, its players' association and the Cuban Baseball Federation reached an agreement that will allow players from the island to sign big league contracts without defecting, an effort to eliminate the dangerous trafficking that had gone on for decades.The agreement, which runs through Oct. 31, 2021, allows Cubans to sign under rules similar to those for players under contract to clubs in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan."For years, Major League Baseball has been seeking to end the trafficking of baseball players from Cuba by criminal organizations by creating a safe and legal alternative for those players to sign with major league clubs," baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement Wednesday. "We believe that this agreement accomplishes that objective and will allow the next generation of Cuban players to pursue their dream without enduring many of the hardships experienced by current and former Cuban players who have played Major League Baseball."Depending... [More]

HAVANA (AP) — Major League Baseball, its players' association and the Cuban Baseball Federation reached an agreement that will allow players from the island to sign big league contracts without defecting, an effort to eliminate the dangerous trafficking that had gone on for decades.The agreement, which runs through Oct. 31, 2021, allows Cubans to sign under rules similar to those for players under contract to clubs in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan."For years, Major League Baseball has been seeking to end the trafficking of baseball players from Cuba by criminal organizations by creating a safe and legal alternative for those players to sign with major league clubs," baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement Wednesday. "We believe that this agreement accomplishes that objective and will allow the next generation of Cuban players to pursue their dream without enduring many of the hardships experienced by current and former Cuban players who have played Major League Baseball."Depending... [More]

HAVANA (AP) — Major League Baseball, its players' association and the Cuban Baseball Federation reached an agreement that will allow players from the island to sign big league contracts without defecting, an effort to eliminate the dangerous trafficking that had gone on for decades.The agreement, which runs through Oct. 31, 2021, allows Cubans to sign under rules similar to those for players under contract to clubs in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan."For years, Major League Baseball has been seeking to end the trafficking of baseball players from Cuba by criminal organizations by creating a safe and legal alternative for those players to sign with major league clubs," baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement Wednesday. "We believe that this agreement accomplishes that objective and will allow the next generation of Cuban players to pursue their dream without enduring many of the hardships experienced by current and former Cuban players who have played Major League Baseball."Depending... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward and San Francisco reliever Mark Melancon let the deadline pass for exercising opt-out provisions in their contracts.Doing the same were two Cuban outfielders who have been major disappointments and spent all of this season in the minor leagues: Boston's Rusney Castillo and Arizona's Yasmany Tomas.Heyward keeps the $184 million, eight-year deal that pays him $106 million in the next five seasons. The others all have two years left in their contracts: Melancon is owed $28 million, Tomas $32.5 million and Castillo $24.5 million.They all had to make their decisions by Wednesday night.The 29-year-old Heyward, who in 2016 helped the Cubs to their first title in 108 years, hit .270 with eight homers and 58 RBIs in 127 games this season. He is owed $20 million in 2019, $21 million in each of the following two seasons and $22 million apiece in the final two years. If he has 550 plate appearances next year, he would again have the right to void... [More]

OF Rusney Castillo and 1B/OF Allen Craig, making a combined $22.8 million this season, both start 2017 at Pawtucket despite Castillo showing some positive things in spring training.

LF Rusney Castillo, a big-ticket import from Cuba, made it through waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Pawtucket, clearing a spot on the 40-man roster. "Roster spots are valuable. You make decisions all the time on who you think will get claimed or who will not get claimed at particular times," said club president Dave Dombrowski. "We felt that at this time he would make it through." The Red Sox are looking for Castillo to develop his offensive game. "He needs to play every day," said Dombrowski. "We hope that he does put it together."

OF Rusney Castillo was placed on outright waivers, MLB.com reported Sunday. Castillo, 28, was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket on Thursday and waived on Saturday. Teams have until Monday to claim on Castillo. If he is not claimed, he will be taken off Boston's 40-man roster and outrighted to the minor leagues. It is unlikely another team will place a claim on Castillo, because he signed a seven-year, $72.5 million contract in 2014 after defecting from Cuba. He is due $10.5 million this year, and he could make up to $46 million if his player option is exercised following the 2018 through the 2020 seasons.

OF Rusney Castillo was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket after the game. No corresponding move was announced.Castillo was 2-for-8 in nine games this season.

LF Rusney Castillo, getting his first start since his May 31 return from the minor leagues, went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and looked tentative chasing hits into the left fielder corner. He could be ticketed for a trip back to the minors as Farrell says he expects another roster move this weekend besides recalling Elias.

OF Rusney Castillo was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday and will serve as Boston's fourth outfielder with Blake Swihart headed to the 15-day disabled list. "We'll try to see if there's some spots where he ends up in the starting role, but the fact that he can play all three outfield positions defensively is certainly an asset," Red Sox manager John Farrell said, per ESPN.com. Castillo, making his third stint with the Red Sox this season, has hit .245/.304/.320 with one home run and 13 RBIs through 38 games with Pawtucket this year.

OF Rusney Castillo was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket before Tuesday night's game. Castillo went 2-for-4 in one game in April for Boston. He is batting .241 with one home run and 13 RBIs for Pawtucket.

OF Rusney Castillo was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket prior to Tuesday's game against the Orioles. Castillo, 28, started one game for the Red Sox earlier this season in Toronto, going 2-for-4 with one run and one double. In 37 Triple-A games this season, Castillo is batting .241 with one home run and 13 RBIs.

LF Rusney Castillo was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket after Wednesday night's game, the Red Sox saying they will announce a recall on Friday, manager John Farrell saying it won't necessarily be an outfielder. C Christian Vazquez, coming back from Tommy John surgery, is a possibility. "This is an opportunity to get him down there and get the at-bats needed," Farrell said.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Rusney Castillo was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket on Tuesday, according to the Providence Journal.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Rusney Castillo was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket on Tuesday, according to the Providence Journal. The Red Sox opened up an outfield spot by trading Shane Victorino to the Angels, and Castillo figures to compete for playing time in right field with Alejandro De Aza.

The Boston Red Sox optioned outfielder Rusney Castillo to Triple-A Pawtucket on Tuesday, according to CSNNE.com.

The Boston Red Sox optioned outfielder Rusney Castillo to Triple-A Pawtucket on Tuesday, according to CSNNE.com. Castillo hit .230/.260/.284 with one home run and one steal in 26 games this season.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Rusney Castillo is in the lineup Thursday against the Texas Rangers after missing Wednesday's game because of a shoulder injury, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Rusney Castillo is in the lineup Thursday against the Texas Rangers after missing Wednesday's game because of a shoulder injury, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Castillio said he was less than 100 percent after jamming the shoulder in Tuesday's game, but said he was feeling good enough to play if the team needed him Wednesday, as he was able to swing a bat before the game. "I was ready to go in today, whether it be defensively or to run,” Castillo told the Boston Globe. “It wouldn’t have been 100 percent but I did feel much better as the day went on today.” The 27-year-old was not expected to miss extended time as a result of the injury. The Red Sox will enter Thursday's game with a 21-26 record, putting them in last place in the American League East.

Castillo is receiving the start in right field Sunday against the Angels, and will likely become an everyday fixture in the lineup with Shane Victorino (calf) landing back on the 15-day DL.

Castillo received starts in both of the Red Sox's games since his recall from Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday, going 2-for-8 at the dish with a run scored. The 27-year-old flashed the ability to hit for some pop and steal bases during his time with the Red Sox late in 2014, which likely resulted in many fantasy owners hanging on to him even after he opened this season in the minors. With a clear path to at-bats for the foreseeable future, Castillo probably warrants ownership in all but the shallowest of leagues.