Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Miguel Castro designated for assignment
Jul 30, 2024, 5:24 PM | Updated: 10:17 pm
Miguel Castro #50 of the Arizona Diamondbacks comes into the pitch against the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field on March 28, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Zac BonDurant/Getty Images)
(Photo by Zac BonDurant/Getty Images)
Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Miguel Castro was designated for assignment on Tuesday following the day’s trade deadline.
Arizona acquired first baseman Josh Bell and reliever Dylan Floro on Tuesday after bringing in reliever A.J. Puk a few days earlier. The D-backs’ 40-man roster originally dropped to 39 back on Saturday when they DFA’d reliever Thyago Vieira before Bell’s arrival filled that spot. Room was then made for Floro with Castro’s departure.
Castro was signed as a free agent ahead of the 2023 season on a two-year, $9.4 million deal with a vesting option for 2024. That option was triggered when Castro reached 60 appearances.
The right-hander was often utilized in 2023 but never found solid consistency to be trusted in key situations. He posted a 4.31 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, numbers that are more positive than what his overall impact was. The late-season arrivals of Andrew Saalfrank and Ryan Thompson made Castro less needed.
RELATED STORIES
Castro’s role for the 2024 season was reduced and on April 23 he was placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. He returned in mid-July and across three appearances and 5.0 innings allowed four earned runs on eight hits and two walks. In 13.2 innings this year Castro had a 5.68 ERA and 1.68 WHIP.
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo had more trust in relievers Justin Martinez and Joe Mantiply in middle relief this season, areas of a game where Castro would have been inserted in the past. With the additions of Floro and Puk to that group, Arizona’s got plenty of options and could mix those names in with the 7-8-9 run of Kevin Ginkel, Thompson and Paul Sewald.
