Brady's Spin: Seattle Mariners Need a Superstar Effort From Luis Castillo on Tuesday

After a gut-wrenching loss on Monday night, the Seattle Mariners are in need of a major effort on the mound from Luis Castillo on Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58) reacts after an out against the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. / John Froschauer-USA TODAY Sports

After a gut-wrenching loss on Monday night, the Seattle Mariners need a heroic effort on Tuesday night from Luis Castillo.

No, they don't need a five-inning "grind it out" performance where he gives up one run and leaves tied at 1-1. They don't need a "quality start" of six innings and three earned runs but the team is still in the game. They need a true ace-like performance. The M's need what Logan Gilbert gave Saturday in Miami. They need efficiency, control of the strike zone, command of all your pitches and they need an eight-inning gem in which he surrenders no runs.

It's a lot to ask, but this team needs it. After losing Bryan Woo to a hamstring injury in the fourth inning on Monday, the bullpen is gassed at the end of this long road trip. The team used Tayler Saucedo, Trent Thornton, Mike Baumann, Ryne Stanek, Austin Voth and Andres Munoz in Monday's loss. Baumann and Thornton are likely unavailable, and Stanek and Voth could be unavailable.

So no, five innings of "keep us in the game" won't do. Not in this one. Castillo needs to attack the zone, needs to hit his spots and needs to have all his pitches working better than in the five-inning loss he tossed last Thursday in Cleveland against the Guardians.

He's certainly got it in him, as we've seen him do a number of times. But, like the 2022 wild card game in Toronto, this one just means more. With the M's having lost five of their last seven, it's time for "La Piedra" to shut the door.

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