Former Tampa Bay Rays, Seattle Mariners Reliever Elects Free Agency and Will Test Market
After spending most of the year in the minor leagues, former Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Diego Castillo has elected free agency.
This means he will test the waters this offseason and look for a new home in 2024.
Per Joe Veyera on social media:
After spending most of the season with Triple-A Tacoma, Diego Castillo has elected free agency, per the MiLB transaction log.
At just 29-years-old, Castillo figures to have a market this offseason. He struggled in 2023 with the Mariners, pitching to a 6.23 ERA in just eight games, but he's generally been a very good reliever in his career.
He began his career with the Rays in 2018 and stayed with Tampa Bay until being traded to Seattle in the 2021 season. He's registered ERAs of 3.18, 3.41, 1.66 (COVID 2020), 2.78 and 3.64 in his full seasons in the big leagues prior to this one.
Armed with a power sinker and a mid-90s fastball, Castillo also features a good slider.
The Mariners outrighted him off the 40-man roster after his struggles and never brought him back, although they could have used him at various points of the season, especially as they were struggling down the stretch.
At Triple-A this year, he went 5-5 with a 5.13 ERA over 47.1 innings. He struck out 50 batters in those 47.1 innings.
He'll be affordable on the market and has a past track record, so we wouldn't be shocked to see multiple teams inquire on him as the offseason gets going.
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