Castro reflects on trade that transformed his role

NEW YORK – A year ago Saturday, amid a flurry of early-season pitching moves where the Orioles lost and shuffled the back end of their roster, executive vice president acquired right-hander the Colorado Rockies.

It was a move that provided one of the few pitching bright spots for the club in 2017, with the 23-year-old flamethrower taking over the team’s long-relief role and becoming one of their most valuable pitchers with a 3.53 ERA. That went so well that they tried to make him a starter in spring training, and though both his own performance and other circumstances pushed him back to the bullpen, he’s been as useful as ever this year as a reliever — and feels that might be where his future is long term.

“I’ve been relieving for quite some time — since 2015, more or less,” Castro said through team interpreter “That’s been the biggest role for the past few years. So, I’ve noticed that my body and my arm is accustomed to that, and has responded really well to that. I just want to help my team.”

That was the thought after the Toronto Blue Jays rushed Castro, then 20, to the majors from High-A Dunedin in the spring of 2015 to be their closer. He was traded to the Rockies that summer as part of the

trade, and was up and down through both that season and the following one.

His career was facing plenty of questions when the Orioles brought him in.

“Castro had the good size and the youth, and we had seen him in spring training the year before or two years before, when he was with Toronto,” Duquette said. “[Scout]

liked him, and our pro scouting director, he liked him. He liked the kid’s velocity and his projection.

“He really went from A-ball to the big leagues. Then in the trade to Colorado, he went from Colorado to Triple-A. That’s tough for a pitcher. He really skipped a key developmental level in Double-A, so we felt if we gave him a little bit more time to develop his skills at the proper level, he could help in the big leagues. He did that last year, and again this year.”

The Orioles built him back up in Sarasota, Fla., for a few weeks last spring under the tutelage of pitching instructors

and among others, and Castro had three brief stints with Double-A Bowie before permanently gaining a spot in the Orioles bullpen.

“It definitely means a lot, the trust that they’ve shown in me,” Castro said. “I hope I can continue to pay them back with performance, which is what I want and what they want. I’m really thankful for the opportunity and try to take every day as a new opportunity to compete, go out there and help my team.” from Rasmus to DL, Yacabonis called up: The Orioles on Saturday added right-hander

to cover their bullpen after Friday’s 14-inning game that required nine innings of relief, with outfielder

going on the 10-day disabled list with a left hip flexor strain to make a roster spot.

Because 40-man roster players need to be optioned for 10 days past Opening Day to be recalled, Showalter said the Orioles needed an injury to add a pitcher. They would’ve found a way to do it either way, but Rasmus' surgically repaired hip from 2016 has been bothering him for about a week. He also missed time in 2017 with the hip problem, which led to him leaving the Tampa Bay Rays midseason.

That the veteran left-handed hitter was 2-for-21 with 13 strikeouts indicated some kind of time off was required anyway. He struck out twice to leave a total of five runners on base after entering in the 10th inning Friday.

Yacabonis, who had a 4.35 ERA in 14 games with the Orioles last season, was being stretched out as a starter at Triple-A Norfolk this spring but is back in a familiar bullpen role with the Orioles. He was a rested member of a tired bullpen Saturday. Around the horn: Showalter said pitching coach slept at the ballpark with the quick turnaround required for Saturday’s game. "He's bouncy," Showalter said. The team had a late report after the 14-inning game . ... Left-hander

pitched two scoreless innings Friday for Triple-A Norfolk to remove himself from consideration to join the Orioles on Saturday.