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The Seattle Mariners placed starting pitcher Luis Castillo on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a Grade 2 hamstring injury. Castillo has played an impactful role for Seattle throughout the 2024 campaign. So will he be able to return as soon as 15 days are up, or will Castillo require more time on the IL?
“Talking to the trainers, they think it's not out of the question that he could be ready by the time the 15 days are up,” the team's general manager Justin Hollander said recently, via Daniel Kremer of MLB.com. “He’s a fast healer. He felt stronger and better already today. … I don’t have a definitive timeline, except to say that it could be 15 days or it could be longer.”
Although Hollander was unable to provide a specific timeline, he did mention that the trainers did not rule out the possibility of Castillo returning as soon as 15 days pass.
Castillo, a three-time All-Star, has pitched to a respectable 3.64 ERA across 30 starts in 2024. He has recorded 175 strikeouts across 175.1 innings pitched. The Mariners have leaned on their pitching all season long and Castillo has unquestionably been crucial to Seattle's success.
Castillo was acquired by the Mariners from the Cincinnati Reds in 2022. The move has gone according to plan for the Mariners as Castillo has been quite reliable since the trade.
Luis Castillo's impact on Mariners' playoff pursuit
Castillo's record is just 11-12. Wins and losses don't truly tell the whole story, though. He has consistently provided Seattle with opportunities to win. Sometimes he simply has not received enough run support.
The Mariners are still in the postseason conversation. Seattle is 4.5 games behind the Houston Astros in the American League Wild Card. They are four games out of the AL Wild Card race as well.
Seattle has work to do with the playoffs drawing near. Castillo's absence is a brutal blow for the ball club. Perhaps he will return before the regular season comes to an end and give the Mariners' starting rotation a boost.
