Mariners: Castillo dazzles in 4-0 win over the Blue Jays

Luis Castillo goes seven-plus innings and the bats get to Alek Manoah early, as the Mariners take Game One of their playoff series in Toronto.

There will still be those out there who question why the Mariners gave up so much to acquire Luis Castillo. The answer was provided in emphatic fashion on Friday afternoon in Toronto.

The Mariners won 4-0, to take Game One of their best-of-three series versus the Blue Jays. In the process, Castillo provided arguably the best postseason performance by a pitcher in franchise history.

The two-time All-Star became the first Mariner to toss seven-plus shutout innings in a postseason game. He went 7.1 innings and allowed just six hits and no walks, while striking out five batters.

All six of the hits Castillo gave up only went for singles and just three batters advanced past first base. He threw 108 pitches on the day, 78 of which went for strikes.

In a zone

To prove how much the 29-year-old was in a zone, all of his pitches were above their average season mph velocity. As per Daniel Kramer of mlb.com, his four-seamer and two-seamer both averaged 98.6, his changeup 90.4 and his slider 87.5.

Castillo’s impact in Game One can’t be stressed enough, in what was just the second shutout in franchise postseason history. The Blue Jays scored the second-most runs in the American League during the regular season.

Blue Jays fans are quite rightly renowned for providing one of the most intimidating postseason atmospheres in the Majors. The Dominican Republic native made sure they were never able to fully find their voice.

After the game, Castillo discussed his approach to pitching with the media. Speaking through an interpreter, he said:

“The fans, the energy in that moment gives me that little extra boost when I’m out there. Like I’ve said before, whenever I go up on the mound, I’m going to take everything that I have in my heart and my body, to give the best I can.”

Perhaps illustrating most how effective Castillo was, is the way he contained Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Overall, the Blue Jays’ best hitter went 0-for-4 at the plate.

Guerrero Jr. had his best opportunity to impact the game in the bottom of the third, with two outs but runners on first and second. On just the second pitch he made weak contact, which resulted in a tame fly to center field.

Manager Scott Servais marveled at Castillo’s performance when speaking to the media after the game. He said:

“You could clearly see early on he’s wired for these moments, when it’s on the line on the biggest stage and the crazy environment. Being able to put him out there today was a no-brainer for me.”

Mariners bats do their bit

Of course, no matter how good Castillo is, you still need some offense. For the Mariners, the bulk of this came courtesy of Julio Rodriguez, Eugenio Suarez and Cal Raleigh.

Seattle has been notorious all season for their inconsistent offense. However, they stepped up when needed most under the bright lights of the postseason.

What was particularly important was how the Mariners got to Alek Manoah early, with three runs in the top of the first. Manoah was coming off a spectacular regular season, which included ranking third in the AL for ERA and fourth in WHIP.

Rodriguez got things rolling — in a manner of speaking — after being hit by a pitch. He would subsquently score a run courtesy of a double by Suarez.

Raleigh then continued to prove he is clutch in big moments, as his two-run homer gave Seattle a stunning 3-0 lead after just half an inning. Manoah regained some composure after this early blitz, but never entirely recovered.

The Mariners would score their only other run in the top of the fifth, with Rodriguez again reaching base after being hit by a pitch. He once more came home as a result of Suarez’s second RBI of the game.

With the cushion of a 4-0 lead, Andres Munoz was called upon to finish the job, which he achieved in fine style. The reliever pitched 1.2 inning and struck out two, while giving up just one hit, along with no walks or runs.

Overall, Servais was very impressed, but not surprised, with how his team performed. He said:

“That’s how we have played all year long. We belong here. We really do. Our team believes it.”

Ray versus his former team

The Mariners now have the chance to clinch the series early, on Saturday afternoon. Adding an intriguing subplot, Robbie Ray will get the start for the away team.

Ray had a sensational year last season with the Blue Jays, resulting in winning the 2021 AL Cy Young Award. However, he ended up signing with the Mariners on a five-year deal during the offseason.

The 2017 All-Star has had his moment this year, but the reality is he hasn’t been as consistent as in 2021. Which version we see on Saturday will be key to whether the Mariners advance, or need to play a rubber match the following day.

What were your main takeaways from Game One? Do you expect the Mariners to clinch the series on Saturday, or will it go to a Game Three? Let us know in the comments section below.