Central Notes: Gomez, Castillo, Polanco

Outfielder Carlos Gomez would eventually like to retire with the Brewers, Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel writes. “I feel in my heart and my mind that this is the organization where I grew up,” says Gomez. “My best memory in my career is in a Brewers uniform and I’d like to retire some day in this uniform.” Gomez, of course, currently plays for the Astros (who are currently in Milwaukee), and his desire to finish his career with the Brew Crew isn’t likely to result in an imminent transaction, and might not even lead to him signing with the Brewers once his current contract expires this fall. But it’s hardly surprising that the Brewers organization would hold a special place in his heart. After coming through the Mets system and playing for two seasons with the Twins, Gomez blossomed in Milwaukee, finishing in the top ten in NL MVP voting with a 7.4-fWAR season in 2013 and making the All-Star team that year and in 2014. Here’s more from the Central divisions.

• Dave Dombrowski’s Tigers offered outfielder Rusney Castillo a $40MM deal when Castillo was a free agent, Jon Heyman tweets. That figure didn’t approach the $72.5MM offer Castillo eventually got from the Red Sox, but it suggests that Dombrowski liked Castillo even before taking over as the Red Sox’ president of baseball operations. Castillo’s deal with the Red Sox, of course, hasn’t worked out well so far, and he has yet to receive a plate appearance this season.
• Fellow Pirates players say Gregory Polanco’s recent extension will help him perform better by protecting him from worry about his contract status, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. “I told [Polanco], just like when it happened to me, it’s good to get it out of the way,” says Andrew McCutchen, who received his own long-term deal in 2012. “I honestly think that’s kind of helped him. He’s going to be able to just go out and not worry. He’s financially set, and I’m looking forward to him being able to be the player that we know he can be.”