Luis Castillo returns to Cincinnati
The team’s former ace leads his Mariners into GABP.
Up until the point the Cincinnati Reds dealt him to the Seattle Mariners, Luis Castillo’s story with the club was basically perfect.
He was acquired from the Miami Marlins in a flip of Dan Straily. It was a classic case of finding a reclamation project, tuning him up one last time, and sending him elsewhere for a diamond in the rough in need of polish himself.
Castillo, you’ll recall, bounced around just about everywhere before landing with the Reds. He was wanted - you don’t get included in three major trades unless you’ve got tantalizing talent - but teams just couldn’t seem to figure out how to unlock what they had in him. First the San Francisco Giants, then the Marlins, then the San Diego Padres, then back to the Marlins (when Colin Rea’s elbow issues derailed the other trade), and finally to Cincinnati, it is - in hindsight - somewhat impossible to believe so many clubs couldn’t turn a 6’2” starter with 100 mph heat and a devastating change into something.
Thank heck the Reds did, though.
Castillo proved to not just be elite with his quality, but elite with his quantity, too. He topped 31 starts in each of his three full seasons with the Reds, his 12 starts (and 70 IP) ranking among the league’s best during the shortened 2020 season, too. He was breezing his way towards similar exploits during the 2022 season when he was predictably dealt away from the Reds with free agency looming, the Seattle Mariners finally meeting the ask of Nick Krall & Co. in a trade involving Cincinnati’s former ace.
The end result? Some 17.8 bWAR, a pair of All Star Game appearances, and now the likes of Noelvi Marte & Edwin Arroyo in the Reds system along with a lifetime of memories of that devastating change-up crippling batters and bringing them swinging to their knees.
Castillo got paid by the Mariners, and I’m happy as can be for him. I wish terribly it had been the Reds who had forked over the cash to keep him, but I’m glad as can be that he both got it from somewhere and has kept right on humming since signing the deal - he’s the owner of a tidy 3.38 ERA and 3.73 FIP in 77 starts since joining Seattle.
He’ll take the mound in GABP on Tuesday when the Mariners come to town, his first ever start against the Reds in any ball park (and, obviously, first in GABP since being dealt almost three years ago). That’ll kick-start a quick three-game series between the two clubs, with the Reds looking to jump into the good side of the .500 mark for the first time this season.
Probable Pitchers
Tuesday (6:40 PM ET) - Nick Lodolo vs. Luis Castillo
Wednesday (6:40 PM ET) - Nick Martinez vs. Bryce Miller
Thursday (12:40 PM ET) - Brady Singer vs. Bryan Woo
How to Watch
FanDuel Sports Ohio will carry all three of the games this series, and you can stream them all in-market without blackout restrictions through them with no need for an additional cable subscription. Wednesday evening’s game will also be carried on FS1 nationally, and you can tune into each game out of market via MLB.tv.