Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images
The Padres desperately need more bats. The Twins seem willing to sell off some pieces. Willi Castro would be a perfect fit.
A.J. Preller said that ahead of the trade deadline on July 31, the Padres would look to add “one or two bats.” They certainly should focus on players who can play the outfield, hit well against lefties, perhaps play a few spots around the diamond, and someone who won’t pack a punch to the Padres’ wallet would be nice.
That sounds a lot like Minnesota Twins utilityman Willi Castro.
Jon Heyman reported that the Twins are willing to listen to trade offers for a few of their short-term pieces. Castro is on an expiring deal and would be a pure rental.
As of today, the Twins are now seriously listening on their rental players, including Coulombe, Bader and Castro. While they will listen on All-Star starter Joe Ryan and star closer Jhoan Duran they’d have to be blown away, especially for Ryan.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 22, 2025
Rental or not, Castro is exactly what the Padres need.
First, he can play the outfield. He has played all three outfield spots this year alone. The Padres badly need another MLB-level bat who can bounce around the outfield.
The next checkmark for Castro is he can hit lefties, something the Padres have generally struggled with (17th in OPS vs. LHP). As a switch-hitter, Castro is basically matchup-proof. He can still hit righties with some proficiency, with a .749 OPS, and six of his 10 homers have come against righties. What the Padres really need is his abilities against southpaws, against whom he has a solid .870 OPS this season.
Overall, his .785 OPS and 115 OPS+ both would rank third on the Padres’ current roster. He isn’t known for his power but shows he can get ahold of one on occasion. His .177 ISO (isolated power, slugging minus batting average) is the same as Gavin Sheets and better than Jackson Merrill’s this season.
He isn’t just an outfielder either. Just this season, he has logged innings at second base, shortstop, and third base as well. He has even pitched in a blowout game. Admittedly, the defensive metrics suggest he is a below-average fielder. However, it’s hard to fully quantify the positive impact he has playing multiple spots.
As mentioned, the Puerto Rican is set to be a free agent after this season. The Twins owed him $6.4 million when this season began. Of course, that will be prorated for the final two months of the season to an amount the Padres could afford.
Castro also can provide some value on the basepaths, as he has 55 stolen bases since the beginning of 2023.
The 28-year-old is exactly what the Padres need- a cheap, experienced, quality outfield bat who can hit lefties and provide versatility elsewhere.
The best part is that the Padres should be able to get Castro for very cheap as far as prospect capital. As a rental without a strong track record of elite production, he won’t command a blockbuster haul.
Let’s project a possible deal for Castro to San Diego.
Padres get: UTL Willi Castro
Twins get: RHP Francis Pena (SD #18), 3B Devin Ortiz (SD, unranked)
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.
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