The New York Mets have acquired left-handed pitcher José Castillo from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for cash considerations, per an official team announcement.
New York designated right-hander Kevin Herget for assignment in a corresponding move. Castillo was objectively bad in his brief stint with the Diamondbacks, though the National League East leaders are betting a change of scenery will help. And given their need for a southpaw in the back end of their staff, it's a reasonable flier.
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Mets acquire José Castillo in trade with Diamondbacks in search of left-handed bullpen help
A.J. Minter (torn left lat) and Danny Young (Tommy John surgery) are out until 2026. Brooks Raley is eyeing a late-June return "at the earliest." The Mets desperately need a lefty reliever and seemingly hope Castillo will solve their problem.
Castillo went 0-1 with an 11.37 ERA, 2.053 WHIP and three strikeouts across 6.1 innings of work. Woof. The numbers leave much to be desired, but it's a small sample size. Plus, he's fared much better at Triple-A Reno, which is a positive sign that there's untapped potential to be had here.
Sporting a 1.69 ERA and 0.750 WHIP with seven punch-outs in five relief appearances with the Aces this season, Castillo has shown flashes of upside. And if there's any club that can hone his skills, it's the "pitching factory" Mets.
If we've learned anything about this Mets squad, they continuously find ways to get the most out of their hurlers. Veteran Griffin Canning is a prime example. He led the American League in earned runs allowed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2024 and has been dynamite for New York. His improbable breakout has been essential to an elite rotation that ranks fourth in Wins Above Average (WAA).
Despite arguably boasting baseball's premier mound corps, the lack of left-handed arms in the bullpen prompted the Mets to trade for the hard-throwing Castillo. New York's sculpted twirlers like Michelangelo, so it's hard to blame them for taking a low-cost swing to fill Minter, Young and Raley's voids.