The White Sox May Have to Leave Luis Castillo Behind In Postseason

The White Sox placed Castillo on the 15-day IL with right shoulder impingement and recalled Tyler Davis in a corresponding move. The move is widely viewed as a phantom IL stint that allows Chicago to add another pitcher without sending anyone down while Castillo continues to collect his salary.

Castillo has struggled badly since joining Chicago, posting a 5.85 ERA on the season with a .270 expected batting average against that ranks in MLB's 11th percentile. In his first six starts with the Sox, he made it through the fourth inning just twice and lasted beyond the fifth only once.

Castillo's strikeout rate dropped significantly to just 19%, and his average exit velocity, barrel rate, and ground-ball rate all rank in the bottom half of MLB. Those issues were only made worse pitching in a hitter-friendly environment like Rate Field.

The White Sox's postseason rotation is expected to feature Sean Burke, Davis Martin, Anthony Kay, and Erick Fedde. In the bullpen, Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson, Sean Newcomb, and Hagen Smith are projected to handle the highest-leverage situations, with Noah Schultz and David Sandlin as primary bulk-relief options.

No — Castillo's numbers have actually been worse in relief, where he has posted a 7.88 ERA across 16 innings compared to his 5.57 ERA as a starter. The small sample size in relief does little to suggest he has found a reliable role in Chicago in any capacity.