RHP Diego Castillo Reports, RHP Wyatt Mills Recalled from Triple-A Tacoma

Castillo and Mills will be available for tonight’s 5:05 pm game at Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas — Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today right-handed pitcher Diego Castillo, acquired yesterday from Tampa Bay, has joined the club in Texas. In addition, right-handed pitcher Wyatt Mills has been recalled from Triple-A Tacoma.

Both Castillo (#63) and Mills (#40) will be in uniform and available for tonight’s 5:05 pm PT game at the Texas Rangers.

Seattle’s 26-man active roster is full, and the 40-man Major League roster is at 39.

Castillo, 27, was acquired yesterday from the Tampa Bay Rays. He converted 14 saves in 16 opportunities this year as Tampa Bay’s primary closer. Beginning on June 23, he has tallied 10 consecutive scoreless outings, spanning 9.0 innings pitched, while walking 1, striking out 11 and holding opponents to a .069 batting average against. Castillo has not surrendered a run since facing the Mariners on June 20 at T-Mobile Park, when he allowed 3 earned runs in the 10th inning. He has allowed runs in just 2 of his last 20 game since May 22. Overall this season, he is 2–4 with 14 saves and 4 holds in 37 appearances for the Rays, posting 2.72 ERA (11 ER, 36.1 IP) with 10 walks and 49 strikeouts.

Mills, 26, will be in his fifth stint with the Mariners this season. The right-hander is 2–1 with 2 saves and a 2.92 ERA (8 ER, 24.2 IP) with 6 walks and 43 strikeouts in 18 games (1 start) with Triple-A Tacoma this season.

Mills’ previous stints with the Mariners came from May 1–3, May 5–13, May 21–22 and May 23–26. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound, right-hander has appeared in 8 games with Seattle this season, going 0–0 with a 10.80 ERA (10 ER, 8.1 IP) with 6 walks and 8 strikeouts.

The Spokane, Washington native attended Gonzaga University and was drafted by Seattle in the 3rd round of the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft. In 4 minor league seasons (2017–19, 2021), Mills is 12–7 with 27 saves and a 3.46 ERA (58 ER, 150.2 IP), walking 45 and striking out 197 in 121 games. He was added to the 40-man roster on Nov. 20, 2020.

RHP Vinny Nittoli Outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma; OF Jake Hager Claimed by Arizona

Nittoli and Hager had been designated for assignment on July 27

Jerry Dipoto also announced today that right-handed pitcher Vinny Nittoli has been outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma, and outfielder Jake Hager has been claimed off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Both Hager and Nittoli were designated for assignment on July 27, so Seattle’s Major League, 40-man, roster remains at 39 players.

Nittoli, 30, was designated for assignment on July 27 after being optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on June 24. He was selected on June 18 and made his Major League debut June 23 vs. Colorado (1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO, 1 HR). He made 18 appearances (6 starts) for Tacoma, going 2–2 with a 4.40 ERA (14 ER, 28.2 IP) with 6 walks and 38 strikeouts. He signed with Seattle as a minor league free agent on Nov. 12, 2020, and received an invite to Major League Spring Training where he tossed 2.1 innings and allowed 2 runs with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts in 3 outings.

Nittoli was originally selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 25th round of the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Xavier University. Overall, he has appeared in parts of 5 minor league seasons and 2 seasons of independent ball (2017–18). He has spent time in the Mariners (2014–16 & 21), Blue Jays (2019) and Diamondbacks (2019) organizations. Overall, he is 10–13 with a 4.40 ERA (86 ER, 176 IP) with 56 walks and 185 strikeouts in 104 career minor league games (8 starts).

Hager (HAY-gurr), 28, was designated for assignment on July 27. In 27 games with Triple-A Tacoma, he batted .220 (22x100) with 16 runs, 7 doubles, 6 home runs, 11 RBI, 4 stolen bases and 11 walks after being claimed off waivers by Seattle from Milwaukee on June 22. He was designated for assignment by Milwaukee on June 18. He was claimed off waivers by the Brewers from New York-NL on May 25, appearing in 5 games with the Mets this season, including his Major League debut on May 15.

In 841 career minor league games with the Rays (2011–17), Brewers (2018–2021) Mets (2021) and Mariners (2021) organizations, Hager is batting .258 (808x3127) with 171 doubles, 20 triples, 60 home runs, 355 RBI, 66 stolen bases and 237 walks.

Hager was originally selected in the 1st round (32nd overall) by Tampa Bay in the 2011 MLB First-Year Player draft out of Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas, Nevada.