Mariners trade deadline pickup Luis Castillo agrees to 5-year contract
Pitcher has helped team build 3-game lead over Orioles for final AL wild card
The Seattle Mariners have locked up another ace for their pitching staff, agreeing to a five-year contract with right-hander Luis Castillo on Saturday.
Castillo was the big trade deadline acquisition for the Mariners when they acquired him from Cincinnati. The hope was Castillo would be the difference in Seattle's push to end the longest playoff drought in baseball and that the Mariners could convince him to stick around longer.
They've succeeded in locking up Castillo. And Seattle entered Saturday with a three-game lead over Baltimore for the final American League wild card.
"Luis has been one of the top pitchers in MLB over the past six seasons," said Jerry Dipoto, Mariners president of baseball operations. "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's contract is reportedly worth $108 million and will begin with the 2023 season, his final season of arbitration eligibility. It runs through 2027 and includes a mutual option for 2028.
The 29-year-old Castillo is 7-6 with a 2.85 earned-run average and 154 strikeouts in 23 starts between Seattle and Cincinnati. Since joining the Mariners, he is 3-2 with a 2.83 ERA and 64 strikeouts in nine starts.
Castillo was named to the National League all-star team in July for his second all-star selection.
