Starlin Castro came out of his benching with an appearance at second base instead of his normal shortstop on Tuesday. He played well there, even making a great play going after a ball near the stands in short right field.

I think he knows that the time has come for Castro to move on. He may most likely be traded in the offseason, or he may be traded before the end of August.

“It’s very awkward right now for everybody,” said Castro’s agent, Paul Kinzer, who stopped short of saying he wants to see Castro get a fresh start through a trade. “Sometimes a change of scenery is good for everybody. I think it would crush him to leave Chicago. He loves it here.”

It is tough to see Castro go through what he is going through. He is still just 25 years old, and has nearly 1,000 hits. This is the second season in the last three in which he has struggled, and with Addison Russell taking over at shortstop (it was inevitable the moment he stepped onto Wrigley Field this season), the writing is on the wall.

With rumors swirling around him all season, and being in a season-long slump, Castro still wans to do whatever it takes to help the Cubs win games and get into the playoffs.

“His attitude has been fabulous,” said manager Joe Maddon, who plans to start Castro at second against opposing lefties, including this weekend against the White Sox.

“To make that [catch] among the bullpen with the crap on the ground and guys flying all over the place, and there’s no room left, and it’s at night … That’s a spectacular play right there.”