Seattle.- There is a new sovereign in Seattle. Newly acquired starting pitcher Luis Castillo made his first appearance with the Mariners on Wednesday since he was acquired from Cincinnati, and his manager Scott Servais was full of praise.
“I wasn’t the manager here during the old Felix Hernandez days, but looking at Felix when he was in his prime, that’s what Castillo reminded me of,” Servais told The Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish. “He’s a No. 1-type starter.”
Hernandez, known colloquially as King Felix, was a member of the Mariners for 15 years.
Castillo, 29, made his Mariners debut against the Yankees and picked up the win. He pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs, five hits, three walks and eight strikeouts.
Last Friday, the Reds traded Castillo to the Mariners in a four-prospect package led by shortstop Noelvi Marte.
Castillo, a two-time All-Star, was considered one of the best pitchers available on the market this year and has a 2.95 ERA and a 3.26 FIP in 15 starts. Castillo proved that he is the ace Seattle needed to advance to the playoffs.
His average sinker speed was 1.7 mph faster than his season average, rising from 96.6 mph to 98.3 mph. On top of that, his average rpm increased from 2152 to 2190. He got three strikes off the pitch.
— Gran debut
The Sporting News broke down Castillo’s start and what it means for the Mariners. The output was better than the numbers. Castillo proved that he is the ace that Seattle needed to advance to the playoffs.
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