Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz admitted that Luis Castillo’s struggles have taken a concerning turn since the veteran pitcher arrived in Chicago.
Castillo was acquired from the Seattle Mariners at the trade deadline to strengthen the White Sox rotation. Instead, the three-time All-Star has struggled to find consistency since joining his new team.
“It’s trended in the wrong direction,” Getz told Jesse Rogers of ESPN. “It has been surprising. So what’s happened has happened and we’ve got to find ways to improve it.”
Castillo is now 1-2 with a 7.76 ERA and 1.79 WHIP in seven appearances with the White Sox. He has allowed 41 hits and 25 earned runs while striking out 25 batters over 29 innings.
The right-hander did have one dominant outing against the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 12, allowing one hit and no runs while striking out 10 over seven innings.
Outside of that start, Castillo has allowed 25 earned runs over his other six appearances with Chicago. The White Sox also recently moved him to the bullpen after briefly skipping his rotation turn.
His first relief appearance did little to ease concerns. Castillo allowed three earned runs and walked three batters over 2.2 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals.
David Butler II-Imagn Images
The struggles have been especially costly because Castillo remains under contract through 2027. He is owed money on his five-year, $108 million deal, which also includes a $25 million vesting option for 2028.
For now, Chicago is focused on getting Castillo back on track. Getz’s comments make clear that the organization knows the veteran needs to find answers quickly.
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