Cubs, Starlin Castro offer different takes on ankle injury

On Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro sustained what has since been diagnosed as a high-ankle sprain. Since then, the timetable for the 24-year-old’s return has been set tentatively at four weeks – although the organization and Castro seem to have contrasting ideas as to what the injury means this season.

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According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago, Cubs General Manager Jed Hoyer ruled out shutting down Castro Wednesday.

"“Right now the prognosis is four weeks to come back,” Hoyer said Wednesday afternoon. “We’re not going to shut him down. His mentality is he can beat four weeks and come back.”"

Castro, who was named to his third National League All-Star team this season, was hitting .292 and had tied a career-high with 14 home runs for Chicago, which has been noticeably more competitive in the second half of the season, despite a 29-43 clip away from Wrigley Field.

The shortstop reportedly told the Chicago Tribune that he has no intentions of being sidelined for the remainder of the 2014 campaign.

"“He was in good spirits and said, ‘I’ll be back,'” manager Ricky Renteria said."

Castro joins Chicago first baseman Anthony Rizzo on the bench, giving Renteria a chance to evaluate some of the team’s younger players who will have to fill the void left by the two biggest offensive threats in the team’s lineup. On Wednesday night, Chris Valaika, who was filling in for Rizzo, hit a two-run home run, and Logan Watkins, who was in the lineup due to Javier Baez shifting to shortstop, collected a pair of base hits, as well. 

"“I’ll be honest,” Renteria said. “It’s probably easier thing for me now that I’ve seen Starlin and Rizz at their best. The most important thing for me now is seeing the other guys and seeing how they fall into the lineups we need (in September). That should give us enough of a glimpse of how we might want to line them up in the near future. But Starlin and Rizzo have done some positive things.”"