Overview
- Rating: 3.13
- 2025 stats: 5 G, 6.1 IP, 11.37 ERA, 9.77 FIP, -0.3 bWAR (all stats AZ only)
- Date of birth: January 10, 1996 (age 29 season)
- 2025 earnings: Minor-league contract
- 2026 status: On the Mets 40-man roster, no minor-league options
2025 review
There can’t be many players who played in the Eastern AND Western divisions of BOTH the American and National Leagues this year. Yet that’s what Castillo accomplished, apparently with some kind of phobia for the flyover Central division. In just a four-month spell, from May through September, he appeared in the majors for the Diamondbacks, Mets, Mariners and Orioles. All told, it wasn’t a terrible season. Jose posted a 3.94 ERA across 32 innings for his four employers, good enough for a 108 ERA+.
Unfortunately, as the above stats suggest, Arizona very much got the worst of Castillo’s performances this season.
Originally signed by Tampa, he was dealt to San Diego as part of the Wil Myers trade. He debuted in 2018 with the Padres, and was a solid part of their bullpen that season, with a 3.29 ERA. However, various injuries, including Tommy John surgery in March 2021, meant he only appeared in three major-league games over the next six seasons. He signed with Arizona in November 2023, and appeared 21 times for Reno after coming off the injured list in July 2024, but didn’t appear for the D-backs. He re-signed for the organization that winter, and started the year off well for the Aces, allowing one run over 5.1 innings, with a 7:0 K:BB ratio.
That got him a shot in the majors. He was called up on May 1, when Justin Martinez went on the 10-day IL – a spot on the 40-man for Castillo was opened up by A.J. Puk moving to the 60-day IL. So Jose was truly the child of disaster. Unfortunately, that was reflected in his performance here. His debut came in the seventh inning against the Phillies. His very first pitch (above) was deposited in the bleachers at Citizens Bank Park by Kyle “Not my MVP nominee” Schwarber, for a game-tying run. Four pitches later, Max Kepler repeated the medicine. That turned out to be the winning run, tagging Castillo with the L in his D-backs debut. Not a great first impression.
He did bounce back with a couple of scoreless innings across his next two appearances. But back-to-back outings allowing three earned runs against the Mets and Dodgers were enough for the front office. He was designated for assignment on May 12, and that began his nomadic travels. He was sold to the Mets and was solid there, but with no minor-league options left, had to be DFA’d when they needed a fresh bullpen arm. The Mariners pounced, bringing him back to the West coast. But after just three games there, the scenario repeated itself: he was DFA’d on September 12. This time, the Orioles claimed Castillo, and he finished out the season in Baltimore.
Such is the life of a fringy reliever with no minor-league options left. You’d be well advised not to sign any long-term rental agreements. If your stuff is not good enough – as it wasn’t in his time with Arizona, with a line of .370/.419/.778 against him) – then you’ll be sent packing. Even if it is good enough, you are likely to become the victim of a roster crunch, and simply discarded like a used tissue, when the organization needs a fresher arm. Nothing personal, Jose: just business. Mostly, Castillo was pretty good: over 25.2 innings after he left Arizona, he had a 2.10 ERA and 3.17 FIP. Given our struggles, it almost makes you wish we’d been able to hold onto him.
2026 outlook
Already this winter, Castillo has been on the move again. The Orioles put him on waivers as they tidied up their roster post-season, and the Mets – who seems to have a liking for him – added him back to their 40-man roster. There’s some debate over his status. Baseball Reference says he will be arbitration eligible, with a solid four years of service time, but Newsweek reckons otherwise. That would very much be a case of “someone else’s problem”, I would say. With the Mets needing to protect prospects, there is a non-zero chance he doesn’t make it to the end of the month on their roster. Tune in next year, for another edition of “Where in the world is Jose Castillo?”
