Chicago Cubs tell teams Starlin Castro is not available

If you were expecting the Chicago Cubs to be part of a blockbuster deal involving shortstop Starlin Castro during this week’s Winter Meetings in San Diego, you’re about to be disappointed.

More from Call to the Pen

• Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
• Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
• Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
• Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
• 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals

According to a report from Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the team has informed multiple clubs, including both the New York Yankees and New York Mets, that Castro is not available via trade, ending (at least for the time being) speculation that the team could deal their three-time All-Star in hopes of acquiring young, top-end pitching this winter.

Heyman offered his own reasoning as to why the team is not looking to deal Castro.

"That actually makes sense as the Cubs are aiming to contend in 2014, and their top shortstop prospect Addison Russell is likely still a year away from the big leagues, making it necessary for the Cubs to keep Castro."

The 24-year-old is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, despite missing roughly a month with an ankle injury late in the season. He batted .292/.339/.438 in 132 games – his fewest number of contests since his 2010 rookie season – but still tied a career-high with 14 home runs and set a new career-best with a .777 OPS.

One year prior, the young (and sometimes lackadaisical) Castro struggled through the worst season of his big league career. Despite appearing in 161 games for the lowly Cubs, the shortstop batted just .245/.284/.347 – and was called out by the Chicago media on multiple occasions for what was called a lack of focus and discipline.

As Heyman noted, (and as most informed baseball fans know), the Cubs have a plethora of young infield talent coming up the pipeline. Behind Castro, the likes of Russell await. Arismendy Alcantara already shifted to center field to make room for Javier Baez, who is taking reps all over the infield this year in winter ball, but is expected to be the team’s second baseman once again in 2015. Luis Valbuena manned third base for much of last season, but Kris Bryant, the organization’s most highly-touted prospect, is expected to break onto the scene next season, as well – only worsening the logjam.

The Cubs are coming off an 89-loss campaign and have been linked near-constantly to free agent left-hander Jon Lester this offseason, but, to-date, have not made any splashes in free agency. The biggest moves thus far included signing former Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon to a five-year deal, and also adding Maddon’s bench coach, Dave Martinez, to the team’s coaching staff.