'Hard to say': Gilbert, Castillo make for tough Opening Day decision

PEORIA, Ariz. -- With an assortment of riches within their starting rotation, the Mariners believe that any one of their five arms would be worthy of making the March 27 Opening Day start -- though they remain mum on the topic as Cactus League play accelerates to full swing.

Yet, barring the unforeseen, the assignment is almost certainly only a two-man consideration -- between Luis Castillo, the veteran workhorse and the roster¡¯s highest-paid player, and Logan Gilbert, the homegrown ace and rotation¡¯s lone All-Star last season.

¡°Hard to say at this point, but we're getting there,¡± Mariners manager Dan Wilson said Monday morning. ¡°I think we're starting to put the pieces together here. I don't know if there's a date that I can give you guys, but we're definitely kicking it around.¡±

That this is a topic of speculation is mostly due to how Seattle rolled out its rotation once Cactus games began, with Gilbert taking the mound first in Monday¡¯s 12-8 win over the Brewers and Castillo to follow on Tuesday against the Dodgers. George Kirby will slot third, on Wednesday vs. the A¡¯s. Seattle hasn¡¯t formally announced its probables after, but presumably it¡¯d be Bryce Miller then Bryan Woo.

The club held off on deploying any of its starting five over the weekend to ease them into action, instead turning to Jhonathan D¨ªaz, Logan Evans and Emerson Hancock, in order.

There¡¯s still over a month until the regular-season opener against the A¡¯s at T-Mobile Park and three off-days this spring, plus two more after they leave Arizona, to re-slot their starters. But going with Gilbert first could offer a hint to the direction that the Mariners are leaning.

¡°It'd be awesome if it happened,¡± Gilbert said, ¡°but I mean, we have five Opening Day starters, so I don't think anybody should get their feelings hurt, because on different teams, we would probably all start the first day. So it's a huge honor to whoever gets it.

¡°Obviously, Castillo, being the veteran, is very, very deserving. But every time I'm out there in spring I feel like I¡¯ve got to prove myself all over again. So I don't want to get ahead of myself.¡±

How Gilbert is handling the situation speaks to his maturity on and off the mound. He¡¯s firmly found his voice within the Mariners¡¯ clubhouse as measured and thoughtful -- much like the demeanor he has when attacking hitters on start days.

The towering righty has blossomed into one of the most consistent right-handers in the American League, leading the Majors last season in innings (208 2/3) and WHIP (0.89) while compiling a 3.23 ERA (113 ERA+, where league average is 100) to go with 220 strikeouts and 37 walks. He also held hitters to a .589 OPS, fourth-best in MLB.

And he¡¯s continuing to reach for new heights.

¡°He's really become a leader amongst that pitching staff, and what he continues to do is get better,¡± Wilson said. ¡°He continues to work at it, and there is no quit in him.¡±

Castillo¡¯s credentials are also in play, as is how he¡¯d absorb a decision for anyone else to start on Opening Day -- even if it¡¯s unsaid publicly by both himself and Mariners management. Castillo wasn¡¯t as dominant in 2024 as he was from 2022-23, with a 3.64 ERA (101 ERA+) while seeing his season cut short by three weeks due to a Grade 2 right hamstring strain. ¡°La Piedra¡± started each opener since coming over in a 2022 Trade Deadline blockbuster.

There¡¯s also the component that the Mariners fielded trade interest on Castillo this winter yet preserved their relationship with him by keeping his agent appraised.

¡°I'm 100 percent happy,¡± Castillo said through an interpreter. ¡°I mean, the talent we have this rotation, it's my third year here, and once you're here this long, you¡¯ve kind of built a family here. So I'm happy that I'm here to see the talent and just getting ready to go.¡±

Castillo has said each spring that he carries three explicit goals entering each season -- to start on Opening Day, make the All-Star team and win the AL Cy Young Award -- which he reiterated last week.

¡°Those are the three goals that I¡¯ve had throughout my whole career and those are the three goals I¡¯m coming in with now,¡± Castillo said. ¡°And I¡¯m going to continue having those goals until the day I retire.¡±

It¡¯s clear that the Mariners recognize the decision they face -- and it appears to be a good problem to have.