Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo exited Sunday’s game due to a left hamstring strain and will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the injury. Castillo, speaking through an interpreter, told reporters (including Adam Jude of the Seattle Times) that he first felt some discomfort in the fourth inning when he moved on the mound to avoid a potential throw from catcher Mitch Garver during Ivan Herrera’s stolen base attempt. Two pitches later, Castillo grimaced after his follow-through and left the game following a visit from the trainers.
“The discomfort’s there. Tomorrow we’re going to get some tests done to see what it is, but hopefully it’s not too bad,” Castillo said.
With the Mariners in the race for the AL West title or a wild card spot, losing Castillo would be a significant blow to their playoff hopes. Seattle’s offense ranks near the bottom of the league in many key categories, but the team has been kept afloat by its elite and durable rotation. Among the 21 starters who have logged at least 161 1/3 innings this season, four (Castillo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Bryce Miller) are Mariners.
Bryan Woo has had two stints on the IL, with Emerson Hancock filling in for nine starts during Woo’s absence. Hancock, currently in Triple-A, is the most likely candidate to step in if Castillo is placed on the injured list, but the former top prospect has struggled with consistency at the big league level. In his brief MLB career, Hancock has posted a 4.76 ERA in 45 1/3 innings and a 4.50 ERA in 12 innings during his 2023 debut season, with a 13.8% strikeout rate.
While Hancock is a capable sixth starter, replacing Castillo is no easy task. The three-time All-Star hasn’t quite matched his 2023 form, when he finished fifth in AL Cy Young voting, but he still holds a 3.64 ERA over 175 1/3 innings this season. His strikeout and walk rates remain above league average, and although his four-seam fastball velocity has dropped from 96.3 mph in 2023 to 95.5 mph this year, it continues to be one of the most effective pitches in baseball.
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