Bold take: even a spring debut with rough numbers can still signal a pitcher hitting his stride and a lineup that’s building depth. And this is where it gets interesting: one star on the mound pairing with a standout defensive play and a bullpen that blanked the game after the opener.
Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo kicked off his spring with a 1 1/3-inning stint, surrendering three runs on four hits while recording two strikeouts. He retired the first batter cleanly on a swinging strikeout of Jordan Lawlar powered by a 96 mph fastball to start the game. A dazzling defensive moment helped him out—left fielder Rhylan Thomas made an extraordinary diving catch on a foul pop near the warning track for the final out of the frame. Manager Dan Wilson praised the play as phenomenal, noting Thomas’ speed in the outfield and his prior big plays, including a run-saving grab in center the day before.
In the second, Castillo allowed back-to-back singles and then left a 3-2 fastball up in the zone that A.J. Vukovich deposited over the wall in right-center for a two-run homer.
Despite the rough patch, Castillo emphasized the core takeaway: staying healthy and pounding the zone. “The important thing was going out there and feeling healthy,” he said through interpreter Freddy Llanos. “I was pounding the strike zone.”
After Castillo left, seven Mariners relievers combined to keep the Diamondbacks off the board for the rest of the game, allowing five hits, two walks, and recording seven strikeouts across the final innings.
Seattle’s only run came in the seventh when Cole Young grounded to second, allowing Brennen Davis to score on a fielder’s-choice play.
Player of the game: Jose A. Ferrer. In his third spring appearance, Ferrer looked sharp, retiring the side in order in the fifth on 14 pitches with 10 strikes and striking out one.
Managerial takeaway: Wilson highlighted Ferrer’s two strong off-speed weapons—the slider and the changeup—plus the ability to pair those with velocity up to 98 mph and sinking action, which he believes will yield a favorable strikeout profile when mixed effectively.
On deck
The Mariners return to the Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday, this time as the visiting team against the San Diego Padres. This game features Kade Anderson, Seattle’s 2025 first-round pick (No. 3 overall), making his first appearance in a Mariners uniform. Also slated to pitch for Seattle are right-handers Emerson Hancock, Randy Dobnak, Blas Castaño, and lefty Jhonathan Díaz. The Padres will counter with left-hander JP Sears. First pitch is at 12:10 p.m. PT, with live streams available on Mariners.com and MLB.TV.
Question for readers: do you view a spring performance like Castillo’s as primarily about health and readiness, or should spring stats meaningfully influence how you evaluate a pitcher’s ongoing trajectory? Share your take in the comments and tell us which early spring performance you found most telling.
