Mariners: Luis Castillo extension signals commitment to compete

Luis Castillo five-year contract extension speaks volumes about the setup by the Seattle Mariners and their intention to be long-term contenders.

In the midst of a poor run by the Mariners, the team and fans alike received some good news on Saturday. Luis Castillo will remain in Seattle until at least the end of the 2027 season.

As confirmed by the Mariners, Castillo has signed a five-year contract extension that will begin in 2023. Both the club and player also have options for the 2028 season.

The deal is initially worth $108 million, but could reach as much as $133 million. This is based on a vesting option for 2028, which will go into effect if Castillo pitches at least 180 innings in 2027.

The 29-year-old was given a $7 million signing bonus as a result of agreeing the extension. Next season he’ll earn $10 million, in what originally would have been his final year of eligibility for salary arbitration.

Castillo will then be paid $22.75 million per year between 2024-27. The deal includes a full no-trade clause for the first three years, while there are no player opt outs at any point during the contract.

A worthwhile gamble

The two-time All-Star was obtained from Cincinnati in a trade, prior to this year’s deadline. The return package included Noelvi Marte, Edwin Arroyo and Levi Stoudt, who were Seattle’s first, third and fifth ranked prospects respectively.

At the time of the trade, some critics suggested the Mariners were given up too much. However, any concern about Castillo leaving at the end of next season has now been eradicated.

Castillo spoke to the media about the deal and was clearly delighted about it. He said:

“I’m very happy that I am here … It’s the camaraderie that’s in here. I came here with the guys I knew from the Reds. I came here with an open mind and when I got here everybody was a tight group.”

General manager Jerry Dipoto shared his thoughts about the extension via a statement. It read:

“Luis has been one of the top pitchers in MLB over the past six seasons. He is a dynamic power pitcher in the prime of his career with a track record of consistency. Bringing him to Seattle represented a key moment in our ongoing efforts to build a championship roster. Similarly, this deal illustrates our continued commitment to both the present and future of this team.”

Castillo has admittedly not been up to his usual standard recently. He has averaged six hits and four earned runs in three of his last four starts, with Seattle losing on each occasion. (In the other start, he allowed four hits but no earned runs, in a 6-1 win versus San Diego.)

A staff ace

On the whole though, there is no denying the Dominican Republic native is one of the top pitchers in the Majors. He possesses an upper-90s fastball and slider, to go along with one of the best changeups in baseball.

Since his debut in 2017, Castillo has induced 2,082 swings-and-misses which is seventh-most in the Majors. He also leads all pitchers with 891 whiffs on his changeup, ranking ahead of Kyle Hendricks-CHC (691). (All statistics prior to Sunday’s start in Kansas City.)

Castillo has a career K rate of 9.8 per nine innings pitched and ERA+ of 124. For context, the only pitcher in Mariners history with a K rate and ERA+ this good, is Randy Johnson.

Extending Castillo now means Seattle keeps together one of the strongest rotations in baseball until at least the end of 2024. Together with the likes of Robbie Ray, Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, the Mariners are set.

Manager Scott Servais spoke to the media about the good news on Friday. He said:

“I know Luis is very happy and the organization is very happy. Nobody is happier than the manager. He has been a great addition to our team and a great fit in the clubhouse.”

As a final note, the club option of one year and $5 million for 2028 is an interesting one. It can only be activated if Castillo undergoes surgery to repair his UCL and misses at least 130 days at any point between 2025-27. 

Are you on board with the Mariners’ long-term commitment to Castillo? Or do you have any concern in relation to his recent outings? Let us know in the comments below.