Luis Castillo lone Mariner named to AL All-Star team

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 02: Luis Castillo #58 of the Seattle Mariners pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at T-Mobile Park on July 02, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Starting pitcher Luis Castillo was the lone member of the Seattle Mariners to be named to the American League All-Star team on Sunday.

The All-Star Game will be held at T-Mobile Park on July 11 at 5 p.m. on FOX.

It's the third All-Star game appearance for Castillo and his first with Seattle. Castillo joined the Mariners in a trade from the Cincinnati Reds last July. He represented the Reds for the National League in 2019 and 2022.

Castillo, 30, had a 5-6 record with a 3.14 ERA on the season after Sunday's start against the Tampa Bay Rays. Entering Sunday's game, Castillo ranked sixth in the AL in ERA (2.86), third in opponent batting average (.207), T-8th in strikeouts (108), eighth in WHIP (1.060), tied for eighth in strikeouts (108) and sixth in strikeouts-per-9 innings (10.30).

With none of Seattle's position players being voted onto the team, it became clear that a pitcher would be the Mariners' representative on the AL squad.

George Kirby also had a case to be named as Seattle's representative with a 7-7 record and 3.21 ERA through 16 starts this season. However, Castillo earned the nod instead. Kirby could join the squad as well as a possible injury replacement.

It's a bit disappointing that the Mariners currently have just one representative on the AL squad with the game being played in Seattle. The last time the game was in Seattle in 2001, the Mariners fielded eight players for the team in Ichiro Suzuki, Edgar Martinez, John Olerud, Bret Boone, Mike Cameron, Freddy Garcia, Jeff Nelson and Kazuhiro Sasaki. Of course, they were a part of a 116-win team that tied the MLB record and deserved to have that kind of representation.

This year's team has underperformed offensively and finds itself two games under .500 at 40-42 after Sunday's comeback victory over the Rays.

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