DENVER - Willi Castro’s season is over, and the Rockies utility man said Wednesday that both a left foot injury and a right knee problem have shut him down for the rest of 2026.
Castro, 29, had been on the injured list since Sept. 5 with left heel inflammation, but he said the knee has been the bigger concern. The tendinitis has flared on and off all season, and he said it traces back to last year, when he fouled a ball off the knee while with the Twins.
After the Rockies’ 9-3 loss to the Padres at Coors Field, Castro said the team had hoped he could return Tuesday, the first day he was eligible. That plan fell apart after running drills during the club’s weekend series at Detroit didn’t go well. He said the foot is improving, but the knee will need an anti-inflammatory shot before he can even start working back.
“I was trying to make it back, but I didn’t think it was improving - it was the same pain,” said Castro, who signed a two-year, $12.8 million deal before the season and is due $6.4 million in 2027.
The Rockies brought Castro in as a versatile veteran for their rebuilding push, valuing his ability to move around the field and give manager Warren Schaeffer a switch-hitting option off the bench or in the lineup. Castro wanted steady playing time, and he got it in Colorado in a way he hadn’t with his previous clubs.
He hit .260 with 15 home runs in 120 games, both career-best territory for him, and his role grew as the season unfolded. Castro batted all over the order, including .333 in 18 games and 17 starts as a leadoff hitter before Jake McCarthy took over that spot. His 56 RBIs were second only to the 60 he drove in during his All-Star 2024 season with the Twins.
His production also picked up as the year went on. Castro’s slugging percentage jumped from .378 in the first half to .496 after the All-Star break.
Defensively, he spent most of his time in the infield. He logged the bulk of his work at second base, with 73 games and 51 starts, and at third base, where he appeared in 47 games and made 36 starts. Second-year player Kyle Karros is the starter at third when healthy, while September callup Adael Amador and trade-deadline pickup Connor Norby have been sharing second base late in the season.
Castro said one of the biggest gains for him this year was getting out of slumps faster and adjusting more quickly.
“It was getting out of slumps quickly - making the adjustment was the thing that improved for me this year,” Castro said. “I’ve got to keep doing that and take it into next year. Hopefully, I’ll be able to play the whole season healthy.”
He also acknowledged that, like last season, he was part of trade-deadline chatter and expected to be moved to a contender. Instead, he stayed put and kept producing.
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