Salk: Mariners will solve a big conundrum at trade deadline

The Seattle Mariners return to the field after the All-Star break on Friday night, which is just a little over two weeks until the next big date on their calendar: the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline.

In the meantime, it seems that the Mariners will continue to roll with a six-man starting rotation, which has been part of an interesting storyline for this season.

Mariners Trade Deadline: Giants to watch this weekend

Seattle has had six healthy starting pitchers since Bryce Miller came off of the injured list and made his season debut in mid-May, and the M’s have at times either used Miller and Luis Castillo in one spot in a five-game rotation in a piggyback situation or just used all six of their starters in a six-game rotation. Along the way, there have been calls from some to move the veteran Castillo to the bullpen, including from Mike Salk of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.

On Friday, Salk said he believes a solution to what has been an issue for two months with the rotation is about to be reached.

“I think the other situation that will be looming after this homestand,” Seattle Sports’ Brock Huard said on Friday, “(is) what are we doing with this rotation?”

“I think I know the answer to that,” Salk responded. “I think that question ends in two weeks. Here’s what my gut tells me: They need Luis Castillo to start until the trade deadline. And if they can trade Luis at the trade deadline, then that ends the conversation. And if they can’t, then someone’s going to the bullpen.”

Trading from your strength

The Mariners have avoided moving the 33-year-old Castillo to the bullpen this season, opting to keep him stretched out as a starting pitcher – which makes him more valuable as a trade piece. And while Castillo is sporting the worst numbers of his MLB career this season (4.93 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, minus 0.6 bWAR), he’s been better in his last nine outings (3.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP).

At a trade deadline where an inordinate amount of teams are still in the playoff race, having a trade chip like Castillo could give Seattle an advantage at a time when contenders may need to make deals with other “buyer” squads – something Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said recently he expects to see more than usual before the deadline.

Related: Seattle Mariners’ Dipoto drops big MLB trade deadline hint

While trading a proven arm from the starting rotation is risky, particularly in the middle of a tight playoff race, the Mariners have a potential future ace up their sleeve. Not only do they have six starting pitchers at the MLB level, but 2025 No. 3 overall MLB Draft pick Kade Anderson, a left-handed starter, is waiting in the wings at Double-A Arkansas should the M’s need more rotation depth.

“I think you’re basically going to run through this two-ish more times through a six-man (rotation), and then at that point, you’ve given everybody as much rest as you can, and I think at that point you make a call,” Salk said. “… You’re going to have to just say, look, we can’t move Luis or anybody to the bullpen until we figure out what (happens at the deadline). It just leaves them the most options at the deadline.”

Hear the full conversation towards the end of the podcast at this link or in the player below. Catch Brock and Salk from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports, and click here for podcasts of every full show.

Seattle Mariners news and more

• These second-half series will be big for Mariners’ tiebreakers
• Watch: How Logan Gilbert started chasing velocity
• Morosi: Seattle Mariners as a team ‘needed’ All-Star break

Related

Mariners Lineup: Montes a bench bat vs LHP in Red Sox finaleThere was more to Lazaro Montes’ big debut than his HRLazaro Montes’ memorable debut helps M’s beat Red Sox 9-6Home plate umpire leaves Mariners-Red Sox game after being hit under chinMariners’ Lazaro Montes blasts 1st HR in MLB debutWatch Mariners’ Lazaro Montes learn of promotion to MLB