Will the $72 million man be able to revitalize Boston's offense?
The Red Sox will give it a try, at least, recalling Rusney Castillo from Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday and immediately penciling him into the starting lineup in right field. Outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. was optioned to Pawtucket to clear a roster spot.
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The 27-year-old Cuban defector was something of a surprise cut toward the end of spring training, especially considering how heavily the Red Sox invested in him last summer. And they weren't going to pay him in excess of $10 million to spend the entire season in Pawtucket.
Castillo was hitting .293/.341/.440 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 18 games at Pawtucket, but that production wasn't nearly as important to the equation as what the Red Sox haven't gotten from their outfielders at the big-league level this season.
Entering Friday, Red Sox right fielders were hitting an abysmal .156/.255/.241 through 41 games, and the team is mired in fourth place in the AL East.
Castillo signed with the Red Sox last August as a free agent, picking up a seven-year, $72 million deal. He spent the last two weeks of the season in Boston, hitting .333/.400/.528 with a pair of homers in 10 games.