Luis Castillo’s latest poor outing cost the White Sox a crucial series against the Astros and added to growing concerns about Chris Getz’s deadline additions.
After another trip through the starting rotation, Luis Castillo delivered another poor start on Thursday afternoon. This one resulted in the Chicago White Sox losing a crucial series to the Houston Astros.
After allowing a two-run home run to Jose Altuve in the first inning, Castillo continued to get knocked around over four innings of work. He ultimately surrendered six hits and six earned runs, putting the White Sox in a 6-2 hole. That deficit held for the rest of the game.
The 33-year-old right-hander has now made six starts in a White Sox uniform and posted a 7.52 ERA. He has completed five innings just once since the trade deadline. Eating innings was supposed to be the bare minimum, but Castillo hasn't even been able to do that.
This week's series in Houston could come back to haunt the White Sox. While they didn't lose any ground in the AL Central and maintain a 3.0-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians, who also dropped a series at home against the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago failed to take advantage of an opportunity to add some cushion to its lead.
Just as important, the Astros are now 1.5 games behind the White Sox in the race for the No. 2 seed in the American League. If the White Sox win the AL Central but lose the No. 2 seed to Houston, they'll still end up in the AL Wild Card Series rather than advancing directly to the ALDS.
This may be the series we look back on as the deciding factor in that race.
It's also a performance like this from Castillo that makes you question White Sox general manager Chris Getz and the team's overall approach at the trade deadline. As crazy as it sounds, the White Sox got worse through their deadline additions.
Brenton Doyle has a .547 OPS since joining the organization. His lack of offense has been a problem even before joining the White Sox. Joey Bart was a nonfactor, playing in only a few games before landing on the IL with a broken hand. Relief pitcher Huascar Brazobán had a 6.30 ERA over 10 appearances before landing on the IL. And now Castillo, with his 7.52 ERA, is tanking Chicago's chances every time he starts a game.
Meanwhile, right-handed pitcher Mason Adams has a 3.00 ERA through the first two starts of his MLB career with the Colorado Rockies.
Entering play Thursday, Boston Smith had 31 home runs and a 1.035 OPS in his first professional season. He's been crushing the ball since being traded to the Seattle Mariners for Castillo.
Chicago moved pieces that could have helped the team in 2026, such as Adams, along with players who could have been part of the organization's long-term future, such as Smith. The players the White Sox received in return have seemingly been worse than the ones they discarded to acquire them.
That's a nightmare deadline for a first-place team.
The book isn't closed on any of these trades, nor is it closed on the White Sox season. But if the team can't get things back on track and chokes away an opportunity to make some real noise in the postseason, the failed deadline deals made by Getz will hang over the 2026 season like a dark cloud.
Despite his recent struggles, the White Sox continue to express confidence in Castillo and don't appear to have any intention of replacing him in the starting rotation.
