The star-crossed career of José Castillo took another unfortunate turn this week when the lefty exited a simulated game after only a handful of pitches. On Thursday, Padres manager Jayce Tingler revealed that Castillo was headed for Tommy John surgery.
Over the past two years, the reliever has suffered a teres major strain, a flexor strain, a torn ligament in his throwing hand and, now, a torn ulnar collateral ligament. Castillo, once viewed as a potential closer, has logged one major-league appearance since his rookie season in 2018.
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“It’s obviously crushing,” Tingler told reporters after a Cactus League game against the Rangers. “Everything he’s been through, obviously, with battling injuries and the way he’s worked to come back, it’s frustrating, crushing for him.”
For the Padres, Castillo’s latest injury is disappointing, if not debilitating. Given recent history, the team was hardly banking on a successful return to action. Castillo was expected to open the season at an alternate training site, even if he had stayed on the mound. And, in his absence, the Padres had assembled a significant amount of left-handed bullpen depth.
That depth, though, is far from infallible. Matt Strahm, who underwent knee surgery in October, is likely to begin April on the injured list. Tim Hill, fully recovered from an offseason knee procedure of his own, is still establishing himself as a late bloomer. Adrian Morejon, a candidate for the bullpen and the rotation, has experienced past arm ailments and careful workload management. Drew Pomeranz, the Padres’ top reliever, has missed time the past two seasons because of apparently minor injuries.
Tingler said Thursday that right-handed reliever Javy Guerra will be shut down for at least two weeks with a Grade 1 UCL sprain. Like Castillo, Guerra is a talented thrower who would have been unlikely to break camp with the team. But, this spring, every pitching injury is an especially obvious blow — not a day goes by without some statement about the challenges of going from 60 games to 162.
The uncertainty outlined above has fueled the Padres’ interest in Brewers left-hander Josh Hader. To date, however, the asking price has been prohibitive, well above what San Diego paid for two years of starter Joe Musgrove. At this point, it would be a surprise if the sides reconvened and struck an agreement; according to people familiar with offseason discussions between the teams, Milwaukee has sought a combination of controllable major leaguers and high-upside prospects.
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The Padres have maintained their position in part because of their belief in one such prospect. Since the start of last summer, Ryan Weathers has been perhaps the organization’s fastest-rising pitcher. The left-hander reported to spring training last month in, unironically, the best shape of his career. He hit 98 mph early in camp, then carried similar velocity into his first Cactus League game.
It was Weathers’ second impressive debut in less than five months. In October, he became just the second pitcher to throw his first major-league pitch in the postseason. Weathers more than survived the test, retiring four Dodgers in the National League Division Series without allowing a run. He appears to have carried that experience, too, into this spring.
“The playoffs was huge for him,” one talent evaluator said.
Even before Castillo tore his elbow, Padres officials said Weathers had emerged as a strong candidate for the opening-day roster. He will continue to be stretched out — starting-pitching depth remains imperative, particularly this year — but unlike No. 1 pitching prospect MacKenzie Gore, Weathers is seen as a natural fit for the bullpen, should he wind up there.
While his development as a starter will continue, some scouts believe the 21-year-old possesses the repertoire and mentality to thrive in high-leverage roles. Additionally, the Padres could manage his workload by easing him into the majors as a reliever. Weathers has pitched just 115 2/3 professional innings since being drafted in 2018. Before his October cameo, he spent all of last season at the Padres’ alternate training site.
Another left-hander, Nick Ramirez, could benefit in the aftermath of Castillo’s injury. The former Tigers reliever logged a 4.28 ERA across the past two major-league seasons, and in his spring debut he recorded two scoreless innings. The 31-year-old sits around 90 mph, but he augments pedestrian velocity with exceptional movement.
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As a non-roster invitee, of course, Ramirez faces a steep path to upgrading his status. Weathers, meanwhile, is the youngest member of the Padres’ 40-man roster. By early indications, he might already belong among their top 26 options.
“I got a little taste of the big leagues (last October) and don’t want to leave there, so I’m gonna do everything in my power to try to stay there,” Weathers said this week. “Whatever can help this team win games is however I want to help them.”
(Top photo of Ryan Weathers: Ralph Freso / Getty Images)
