Chris Getz went out on deadline day and got himself a starting pitcher. Luis Castillo, three-time All-Star, has a 5.06 ERA in 2026.
Not a typo. His worst full season as a big leaguer, and it’s now the White Sox’s problem.
Here’s the news as it broke:
BREAKING: The Chicago White Sox are acquiring right-hander Luis Castillo in a trade with the Seattle Mariners for reliever Seranthony Dominguez, outfielder Nolan Jones and catching prospect Boston Smith, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 2, 2026
Domínguez, Jones, and a catching prospect for a pitcher currently getting outhomered by his own bad luck. Seattle had six starters fighting for five rotation spots, so they had the extra arm to move. The White Sox, the team we were already asking about back at the break, are sitting in first place in the AL Central and dead last in MLB in starting pitcher innings, and that combination bred the desperation to take him.
And Getz told reporters exactly why: “This was an opportunity to bring in a starting pitcher that we’re really excited about. Someone that can help lead this young pitching staff. Not only cover innings, but has experienced pitching in the playoffs. We’re at the bottom of the league in regards to starting pitcher innings.”
Fine. Innings are real. But let’s talk about what $30.15 million guaranteed buys you here, because it isn’t the Castillo who made three All-Star teams. It’s a pitcher whose strikeout rate has fallen to a career-low 7.77 per nine, whose fastball is sitting at a career-low 95.3 mph, and whose Stuff+ grade of 97 is the worst of his career. His bWAR is negative, which for a starting pitcher on a first-place team is about as ugly as it sounds. The White Sox are on the hook for $7.4 million the rest of this year and $22.75 million in 2027, with a $25 million vesting option in 2028 if he throws 180 innings — a structure that protects them from a catastrophic arm injury but still commits real money to a guy who’s been below replacement level.
Now, MLB Trade Rumors framed it as the best available piece in a thin market, and that’s probably true. Castillo has also thrown to a 3.88 ERA over his last 10 games, so there’s something there beyond just the resume and the 2.25 career postseason ERA over 12 appearances. Call it stabilization, not a turnaround — six good starts don’t erase a season’s worth of bad ones.
White Sox fans on X and over at Sox Machine aren’t exactly thrilled. The general vibe is Getz banked on Castillo’s past instead of what he’s actually done this year, and that “you’re telling me THIS is the best Getz could do” energy is all over the replies. Fair. But it cuts both ways — Seattle didn’t get off clean either. Domínguez is coming off a 4.37 ERA season with his own injury flags attached, so this wasn’t some heist where Chicago took on all the risk and Seattle walked away clean.
We covered Getz running out of excuses back in July. This is his answer. A first-place team that’s supposed to be rebuilding just bought a name with a bad ERA attached to it, and now we get to watch whether the postseason pedigree shows up before September does.
Getz didn’t buy the guy who was good in 2022. He bought the guy who’s been bad in 2026 and is hoping he remembers how to be good again.
