Mariners notes: Seattle drops series in Houston, places Rodriguez on IL; Castillo to join rotation

The Mariners will conclude their first road trip of the second half this week, trading one American League division leader for another.

Seattle (55-48) dropped its series finale against the Astros in extra innings Sunday afternoon at Minute Maid Park, and lost three of four there during the weekend series as Houston extended its AL West lead over the Mariners back to 12 games.

They will look for a better result this week in New York against the AL East-leading Yankees, who enter the week with the best record in baseball, before their first scheduled off day of the second half Thursday.

“You’ve got to keep grinding, you’ve got to keep going,” Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters in Houston postgame Sunday. “We’re in that stretch of 13 consecutive games, and we’ve got three more to go on this trip.”

After entering the midsummer break on a 14-game winning streak, Seattle is 4-6 in the 10 days since play has resumed.

The Mariners opened the second half by dropping a three-game series to the Astros at T-Mobile Park, then quickly rallied with a three-game sweep of the Rangers to close out that homestand.

The momentum didn’t carry over to Houston, though. Seattle lost back-to-back contests Thursday and Friday to begin this trip.

The Mariners kept even with the Astros much of the way Thursday night, but Alex Bregman got to Seattle’s bullpen in the eighth to lift Houston to a 4-2 win.

Justin Verlander shut the Mariners down again Friday night, and the Astros jumped on Seattle ace Robbie Ray early and the bullpen later on the way to an 11-1 rout.

Having won their past five meetings with the Mariners, another series sweep for the Astros seemed a possibility until Abraham Toro’s clutch two-run single in the ninth Saturday night against his former club lifted Seattle to a 5-4 comeback win.

Seattle entered Sunday with a chance to split the series, and Jesse Winker tied what was a two-run Astros lead most of the way with a two-run home run in the eighth, but Houston eventually secured the series with a Yordan Alvarez walk-off single in the 10th to win 3-2.

Despite dropping three of their past four, the Mariners enter August still in the second AL wild-card spot, behind the Blue Jays and just ahead of the Rays.

Seattle Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez reacts after striking out during the eighth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, July 30, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Seattle Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez reacts after striking out during the eighth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, July 30, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

INJURY UPDATES

The Mariners will enter this week’s series in New York with a depleted roster, having sent a handful of players to the injured list in the past week.

The club will be without All-Star rookie center fielder Julio Rodriguez (right wrist contusion) after he was hit by a pitch while swinging in the eighth inning Saturday night. He was placed on the 10-day IL on Sunday morning.

“X-rays were negative, but he’s really sore,” Servais told reporters in Houston pregame Sunday. “I think everybody agrees he’s probably not going to have a bat in his hand in maybe five days at the earliest. Just letting that calm down.”

All-Star first baseman Ty France was also out of the lineup Sunday as he continues to deal with left wrist soreness, and underwent an MRI. It did not show structural damage, and he has not been placed on the IL.

“Positive report there,” Servais said postgame Sunday. “He’s going to need a few days to let it calm down.”

Seattle was also without utility player Dylan Moore on Sunday, who was placed on the 10-day IL with back spasms after exiting Saturday’s game early.

The Mariners added two outfielders Sunday — recalling Jarred Kelenic from Triple-A Tacoma and promoting Jack Larsen from Double-A Arkansas — to fill out their roster.

Seattle has also sent two relievers to the 15-day IL in the past week in right-hander Diego Castillo (right shoulder inflammation) on Thursday (retroactive to Tuesday) and left-hander Tommy Milone (cervical muscle strain) on Saturday.

Cincinnati Reds’ Luis Castillo pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Thursday, July 14, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Cincinnati Reds’ Luis Castillo pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Thursday, July 14, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

MARINERS ADD AHEAD OF DEADLINE

Luis Castillo is joining Seattle’s starting rotation.

Friday night, while the Mariners were playing in Houston, the club announced it had completed a deal for the Reds ace and would send four prospects back to Cincinnati in return.

“We see Luis Castillo as an impact, top of the rotation starter who’s currently on top of his game,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. “Our goal remains to play in the postseason, now and in the years to come. We believe adding Luis is a big step in that direction.”

Castillo is 4-4 with a 2.86 ERA in 14 starts for the Reds this season, and has struck out 90 and walked 28 in 85 innings.

The 29-year-old right-hander has started 137 games in the majors across the past six seasons, and has a 44-53 career record and 3.62 ERA with 860 strikeouts to 287 walks.

“He’s elite,” Winker, a former teammate of Castillo’s in Cincinnati along with Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez, told reporters in Houston on Friday night.

“I think that’s the easiest way to describe him. He’s elite. And he’s only getting better.”

Castillo is expected to make his Mariners debut Wednesday in the club’s series finale in New York.

The Mariners sent four prospects to the Reds in return: infielders Noelvi Marte (Seattle’s top prospect per MLB Pipeline) and Edwin Arroyo (No. 3), and right-handers Levi Stoudt (No. 5) and Adnrew Moore.

The Mariners have two days to further boost their roster, should they look to add more for the final two months of the season. The trade deadline is 3 p.m. (Pacific) Tuesday.

SHORT HOPS

After appearing in three games with High-A Everett last week, Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger (ankle) continued his rehab assignment with Tacoma on Tuesday.

He has appeared in five games with the Rainiers, hitting 4-for-14 (.286) with four runs scored, two home runs, four RBI and five walks to three strikeouts, while playing two games in right field and three at DH.

ON DECK

The Mariners travel to New York to play the Yankees (69-34) for the first time this season, beginning a three-game series Monday.

They return home Friday to begin a seven-game homestand against the Angels (43-59) and Yankees.

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