Mariners have a Luis Castillo issue which needs fixing asap

The Mariners continue to struggle on the road as a team and Luis Castillo continues to struggle full stop, leading to significant concerns.

At the weekend we wrote about the Seattle Mariners’ ongoing issues on the road, with a seven-game losing streak on their travels. There was a flicker of hope when they beat the Guardians in the series finale on Sunday, but this proved fleeting as they were dominated 10-2 by the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night in Florida.

With the loss the Mariners are now just 6-14 on the road since the All-Star break, contributing towards falling 3.0 games behind the Houston Astros at the top of the AL West. In addition they also now have just a 1.5 game advantage for the third and final wild card spot in the AL and fears are growing within the fanbase that the M’s will fall short of a playoff spot for the third straight season.

Not helping matters is how Luis Castillo is playing on an individual level, with his performance against the Rays serving as just the latest example of his recent struggles. He allowed five combined earned runs in the second and third innings and ultimately only went four, as he gave up six hits and one walk on 78 pitches.

Luis Castillo’s August woes continue into September

August proved to be Castillo’s worst month of the season to date, as he recorded a 6.66 ERA in five starts and only once went more than five innings. It is of course worrying that these issues seem to have now spilled over into September, with many wondering if and when he will right the ship, especially at such a critical point of the season.

The last four starts have been particularly brutal for Castillo, with him producing a -0.3 fWAR, 10.06 ERA, 7.01 FIP and 2.18 WHIP in 17.0 combined innings. The question is, what does he need to do to get out of this severe funk?

For his part the three-time All-Star is adamant his approach has remained the same as earlier in the season, when things were going well for him. As per MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer, speaking through an interpeter he said:

“I haven’t changed anything. I just continue to work and it’s waiting for the good times, because you’re not always going to have bad times.”

Castillo has always maintained an excellent mental fortitude and seems to be convinced he will be able to come through his recent trials and tribulations. He said:

“I’m not frustrated, but I know that I’m going through tough times right now. It happens in the game. Sometimes, you go through tough times and then you have to wait for the good ones and keep working.”

Mariners manager backs Luis Castillo

Mariners manager Dan Wilson also spoke to the media about the pitcher’s struggles, and similarly seems convinced he will pull through. He said:

“He’s been a guy that we’ve been able to depend on, and we still depend on him, and he’s going to figure it out. He’s a guy that we love sending him out there, because he’s been in these situations, he knows what to do. We’ve got to keep going with it.”

As much as fans in the Pacific Northwest are hoping Wilson is right, Castillo’s declining velocity isn’t helping the situation. As per Baseball Savant, since a career-high 97.4 mph average velocity on his four-seamer in 2020 it has since been on the decline and this season is at a career-low 95.0 mph.

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There’s no denying the righty was a saviour for the Mariners’ injury-ravaged rotation earlier this season, but this counts for little now. With a 1.2 WAR, 3.94 ERA, 4.10 FIP and 1.294 WHIP in 28 starts, he’s on course for one of the worst seasons of his nine-year career in the majors.

One thing which might help Castillo bounce back — at least to a certain extent — is having two of his final projected starts of the season coming at home. He has a 2.79 ERA in 15 starts at T-Mobile Park this season, compared to an ERA north of 5.00 in 13 outings on the road.

Prior to this season there had been talk of the Mariners potentially trading Castillo, but he was saved by having a full No Trade Clause. This will be removed at the end of 2025, so it will be up to the 32-year-old to prove his worth in the coming weeks to avoid renewed speculation about his future in Seattle.

Photos court​‌esy of Tim Rodgers Photography

Do you see Castillo rediscovering his previous form this season, or do you believe it’s now too late for him to turn things around? Further, do predict he will be back with the Mariners next season, or is this the end of the line for his tenure in Seattle? Let us know in the comments section below.