Generally, when a stone is weathered over time, it loses its edges and becomes less sharp. And so it was with La Piedra tonight. Like the rest of the Mariners pitching staff, Luis Castillo has looked tired recently, and he labored through his first several innings against the Rays. His four walks marked only the third time that the rotation has allowed more than three all year. The other two games? A Tommy Milone spot start and Robbie Ray’s lone, Tommy-John-surgery-inducing outing.
But the thing about the not-sharp version of Luis Castillo is that he still managed to rack up 17 whiffs and eight strikeouts.