Luis Castillo agrees to huge contract extension with Mariners

Aug 21, 2022; Oakland, California, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo (21) smiles as a call is reviewed during the third inning against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Mariners made a big move to acquire pitcher Luis Castillo at the trade deadline. On Saturday, they agreed to an arguably bigger move to keep him long-term.

Castillo has agreed to a five-year, $108 million contract extension with the Mariners, as first reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN. The deal also includes a vesting option for a sixth year.

BREAKING: Right-hander Luis Castillo and the Seattle Mariners are in agreement on a five-year, $108 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN. A sixth-year vesting option can take it to $133 million.

M’s got Castillo at the trade deadline and now lock him up for half-decade.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 24, 2022

Castillo would have been eligible for his final year of arbitration this winter, and would have been able to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2023 season. Instead, he is committing to the Mariners through at least the 2027 season, setting up the 29-year-old as a mainstay in the Seattle rotation for years to come.

Though he has flown under the radar, Castillo has emerged as one of the better pitchers in the game. Since being traded to the Mariners, he has posted a 2.83 ERA in nine starts, striking out 64 batters in 54 innings of work. Some of the game’s most prominent franchises were interested in trading for him when the Cincinnati Reds made him available this year, so this certainly looks like a great move from Seattle’s perspective.