"Willi" or won't he?
That has been the question asked by Colorado Rockies fans regarding a potential return from the injured list for popular utility man Willi Castro ever since he was sidelined on September 5 with left heel inflammation (while also dealing with right knee tendinitis).
The Rockies, unfortunately, now have their answer, with Castro announcing that he would sit out the remainder of the 2026 season to allow his injuries time to heal, per MLB.com. The 29-year-old was slated to come off the injured list and return to Colorado's lineup on Tuesday, but his body did not respond well after he participated in some running drills during the club's weekend series against the Detroit Tigers .
Now, the club will play out the final 10 games of the season without the off-season free agent signing.
Colorado Rockies utility man Willi Castro. Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Castro's anticlimactic, injury-marred finish does not take away from what was a successful first season with the Rockies. Signed back in January to a two-year, $12.8 million contract, the versatile switch-hitter from Puerto Rico posted a career-best 15 home runs while sitting third on the team in runs (65), fourth in hits (111) and fifth in RBI's.
Castro has found a home in Colorado after what was a disastrous 2025 campaign split between the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs . He has been dubbed a "Swiss Army Knife" for the Rockies and boasts numbers (.260/.331/.417) that compare favorably to his slash line (.247/.331/.385) posted during his 2024 All-Star campaign in Minnesota.
Now, Castro can focus his attention on a full off-season to get healthy in time for 2027 training camp ( provided there is no labor stoppage ). While the left knee inflammation is unlikely to be a long-term problem, right knee tendinitis has plagued the eight-year veteran on-and-off since fouling a ball off his knee in 2025 as a member of the Twins. He will likely receive an anti-inflammatory shot in his right knee and hopes to continue on the road to recovery from there.
At full strength, Castro could be hugely valuable to Colorado in 2027. If the Rockies, can begin building a playoff contender around Hunter Goodman , TJ Rumfield and whoever the Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes-led front office acquires this winter, then he stands to be an important plug-and-play piece of the core. If he becomes a trade piece amidst another lost season in Colorado, then he is poised to be a coveted asset that could yield a significant return.
In what is another disappointing, losing season for the Rockies, both the team and Castro now look ahead to 2027.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rockies/onsi as Rockies Get Brutal Injury Update on Super-Utility Man Willi Castro .
