White Sox Face Challenges as Luis Castillo Struggles Against Astros

Luis Castillo has been with the Chicago White Sox for just over a month. The right-hander struggled in three of his five August games, allowing at least four runs in each. His September start did not improve his record. On Thursday, Castillo allowed six runs over four innings in a 6-2 loss to the Houston Astros, witnessed by 24,155 attendees at Daikin Park.

Manager Will Venable reflected on Castillo’s performance, stating, “Luis has done a really good job of trying to make adjustments, just hasn’t found the right one yet. He’s going to continue to work and have a good few days before his next start, aiming for better results.” Castillo gave up six hits, struck out three, walked two, and hit one batter during his 78-pitch outing.

We’re going to keep trying to figure this out. Castillo said through an interpreter.

The Sox lost three out of four in the series and finished their trip to Minnesota and Houston with a 3-4 record. Despite the setback, the White Sox (73-67) remain three games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians (70-70) in the American League Central. The Guardians also lost on Thursday, 6-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Early Lead for Astros

The Astros established an early lead. With two outs in the first inning, Castillo faced Isaac Paredes for ten pitches resulting in a walk. Two pitches later, Jose Altuve hit a high fastball over the left-field wall for a two-run homer. The Sox responded with two runs in the second inning. Jake Rogers hit an RBI on an infield single, and Sam Antonacci drove in the tying run with another single.

Four of the Sox’s seven hits came in the second inning, yet they managed only one hit in the final six innings. Venable commented, “Good job early on there, I thought it was nice to see our guys respond with some good at-bats. Then Astros starter Hunter Brown just settled down, and we lacked answers for him. We stalled out there, but the guys gave their best.”

During the second inning, the Sox left runners on the corners when Munetaka Murakami struck out to end the inning. Murakami had a challenging day, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and finishing 3-for-24 on the seven-game trip. Murakami explained through an interpreter, “There are always ups and downs during the season. It’s important to focus on the approach every day. One small change can trigger success.”

Astros Dominate the Third Inning

The Astros took control with four runs in the third inning. Paredes broke the tie with an RBI double, followed by Daulton Varsho’s two-run triple. Christian Walker drove in Varsho with a single, extending the lead to 6-2. Castillo managed to work around a leadoff double in the fourth inning, marking the end of his time in the game.

Reflecting on Castillo’s performance, Venable said, “He did well with the first couple of batters, but then came the walk and Altuve’s impressive hit. We couldn’t avoid hard contact, leading to Castillo’s 7.52 ERA in six starts with the Sox, having allowed 22 earned runs in 26 1/3 innings.” After the game, Venable spoke with Castillo to reaffirm their confidence in him. “We believe in him,” Venable stated. “His job isn’t just to throw six scoreless innings but to give us a chance to win. We have confidence in him and will continue to support and work with him.”

Castillo acknowledged his struggles and emphasized his responsibility to the team.

I know I’m struggling, and I owe it to this team to perform because I was brought here to help. Despite the poor results, I’ve been seeking ways to contribute and perform as expected and as I know I can, Castillo expressed.