Game 152: Mariners at Royals – Castillo Inks an Extension
Luis Castillo vs. Max Castillo, 11:10am
Yesterday’s win was huge. With Baltimore looking like they would cruise to a victory over Houston, the M’s were down 5-3 after a poor start by Logan Gilbert. A whole lot of Cal Raleigh later, the M’s pulled out a 6-5 win, victimizing a minor league-level Royals bullpen. Houston scored 4 in the 9th and beat Baltimore 11-10. The M’s lead for the final wild card spot is back up to 4 games. A trap game loomed, and looked like it ensnared the M’s, but they got free and took care of business. Phew.
The bigger story yesterday was the news that the M’s signed Luis Castillo to an extension. The extension is for 5 years, from 2023 through 2027, with a club and player options for 2028. The total value is $108 million, so this is almost exactly the deal the M’s gave Robbie Ray this past off-season (5 years, $115M). Castillo is still arb eligible, but would’ve been a free agent after next year, absent this deal. Now, the M’s rotation is essentially set for the next 4-5 years, with Castillo, Ray, Gilbert, and George Kirby 1-4, and Marco Gonzales signed through 2024 with an option for 2025. This means the M’s can focus on the line-up in free agency or possibly in trade, as there are fewer spots open for guys like Emerson Hancock, Bryce Miller, and Taylor Dollard. The M’s still need to make improvements if they want to challenge a rejuvenated Houston club and stop worrying about the wild card chase. This is going to be an important off-season.
Max Castillo is a 23 year old rookie right-hander. He throws a four-seam fastball at 93, and has a good change-up and a decent slider – this is a pitch mix that the M’s have seen a lot recently. Like so many Royals, Castillo’s fastball just isn’t great. Despite a normal 3/4 arm slot, it has very little vertical movement, and looks more sinker-ish. It’s got low spin, too, so I think Justus Sheffield’s original fastball, but from the right side, is a decent comp. On the plus side, his change is quite good, and his slider isn’t too bad, either. Right now, he’s got normal platoon splits despite the change in large part because lefties are just teeing off on his fastball.
Castillo wasn’t drafted/developed in Kansas City. Rather, he was the big acquisition when the Royals traded Whit Merrifield to Toronto. That may turn out to be a solid deal for the Royals, as Merrifield was in the midst of an awful season at the plate. He’s been better in Toronto, but that’s damning with faint praise: his OBP as a Jay is just .287.
1: Crawford, SS
2: France, 3B
3: Haniger, RF
4: Santana, 1B
5: Raleigh, C
6: Kelenic, CF
7: Winker, DH
8: Frazier, 2B
9: Trammell, LF
SP: Castillo. The real one.
Trammell was recalled when Julio went on the 10-day IL.