More than three years after he was acquired by the team, Castillo could have the Mariners season resting on his shoulders
SEATTLE — In Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series on Saturday at T-Mobile Park, the Seattle Mariners fell 3-2 to the Tigers in 11 innings.
Both of the Mariners' last two playoff games, they lost in extra innings. The first was 2022.
Unlike in '22, where the M's were eliminated with the defeat, Saturday was the first of five potential games. Seattle will be looking to course-correct in Game 2 of the ALDS at 5:03 p.m. PT on Sunday.
Luckily for the Mariners, their starter for Sunday has been "rock" solid all year.
Luis Castillo will start Game 2 for Seattle. Back in 2022, the Mariners added Castillo to the roster in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds. He would eventually start in the club's first postseason game that year.
Now, three years removed and with an extra All-Star nod under his belt from 2023, Seattle will hope Castillo lives up to his nickname of "The Rock."
"I just got to give thanks," Castillo said via translator Freddy Llanos in a pregame news conference Saturday. "In 2022, I was blessed enough that they gave me Game 1 (of the playoffs). Now they're giving me Game 2. I just got to give them thanks for keeping me on that same page and just letting me throw the ball early in these first few games."
Castillo's nickname has become representative of what he brings to the Mariners roster, both on the field and off.
Throughout the season, whether he struggled individually, or the club went through collective difficulties, Castillo was confident the team would turn it around.
"The positive mentality — I always try to have it," Castillo said. "It helps me not doubt myself, doubt in my abilities and make sure I don't doubt what I can do. And I think that came from my dad. He told me 'if you stay positive, you can't really doubt yourself.' Because when you start doubting yourself, that's when you start losing who you are."
Castillo finished 2025 with a 3.54 ERA with 162 strikeouts in 180.2 innings pitched across 32 starts. His number of outings led the starting rotation. He was the only starter to not miss time this year due to injuries.
He closed out the regular season on a strong note with a 2.45 ERA and 29 fanned batters across 29.1 innings pitched in five starts in September. He had four quality starts in a row to end September.
The first in that streak of quality starts was a game against the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 7. The Mariners won 18-2 and kicked off a stretch of six consecutive series wins. That streak culminated in the franchise winning its first American League West championship since 2001.
Once again, Castillo was confident in the victory against the Braves being a sign of things to come.
"Right before Atlanta, we were having some bad moments," Castillo said. "The team wasn't performing well. But I've always said it every time they ask me, it's a long game — baseball. You live through good times and you live through bad times. After that start, I kind of got a sense that things were shifting. And right away the team started performing well."
If trends continue, Sunday could be another shift in fortune for Seattle, kick-started by an outing for the pitcher defined by his steadiness.
Sunday will be the fourth playoff start of Castillo's nine-year career. He has a 1.83 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 19.2 innings pitched across his trio of prior postseason outings.
Castillo will face Detroit starting pitcher and defending American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. The two hurlers have faced twice before this season, with Castillo and the Mariners coming out on the winning end of both games.
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