Luis Castillo Announced As Opening Day Starter Reds White Sox

The Reds rookie manager David Bell surprised a lot of people by naming Luis Castillo as the Reds' Opening Day starter, minutes before the Reds played the Chicago White Sox. The Reds brought in Alex Wood, Sonny Gray and Tanner Roark to bring experience to the Reds rotation.

Bell and his staff of coaches have shown they are not afraid to buck traditional thinking.  Castillo becomes evidence of that.  Of the five projected starters in the Reds rotation and the other holdover on the staff, Anthony DeSclafani, Castillo is the least experienced.

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"It was fun to tell him," Bell said.  "He is really excited.  He's honored and he should be."

Bell called the other three pitchers into his office before the game to explain the decision.

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"We trust all four guys," Bell said. "We had a good conversation. They are all great team players and they get it."

The numbers don't back the decision but spring training numbers seldom indicate success during the regular season.  Castillo made three starts in Cactus League games, plus a simulated game or two on the back fields. He allowed 12 runs in 7 2/3 innings but threw the ball better than the numbers indicate.  In his last outing he pitched four innings against Cleveland and allowed three runs.  Some of the hits were off weak contact that found a hole.  His last two innings were dominate.

"He's had a lot of success leading up to now," Bell said.  "We like the progress he's made through spring training.  We think he's in a good place to start Opening Day."

Castillo will face the Pittsburgh Pirates and their starter Jameson Taillon.

Lucas Sims got the call against the White Sox.

Sims had trouble throwing strikes in the first inning, walking two, including one that forced in a run.  Jose Abreu homered off him in his second inning.

Matt Winsler, who is out of options and needs to make the team, pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball.  He's totaled 9 1/3 innings and allowed two runs both in his first outing on February 24.  He has seven scoreless appearances since.

Zach Duke pitched an inning and gave up a double to Leury Garcia and Abreu's second home run.

Yasiel Puig hit a bases loaded single to get the Reds' back in the game.  Nick Senzel hit his second double of the game one out into the seventh and scored on a single by Matt Kemp.

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"Senzel had a good night at the plate," David Bell said.  "He made a play early in the game he went to left center.  He went a long way for it and made it look easy. It didn't look like a great play but it was maybe one of his better plays of the spring.  It was a good step for him."

Matt Bowman and Sal Romano kept the White Sox off the board in their inning.  Robert Stephenson, recovered from a sore shoulder that held him back, made his first Cactus League appearance.  Stephenson retired all three White Sox he faced.

Derek Dietrich hit a double for his second hit. Jose Peraza singled to tie the game in the eighth.

The Reds had five ties coming into the game.  The White Sox had two.  The teams decided to start the ninth with a runner on second.  It is the rule that they are using in the All-Star games starting in the 10th inning.

The White Sox began the ninth with Alfredo Gonzalez on second base with Cody Reed pitching. Reed got Preston Tucker to fly to center with Gonzalez advancing to third.  Joey Votto couldn't come up with Zach Remillard's smash to first and Gozalez scored.  Ryan Goins grounded out with Remillard going to third.  Jake Elmore grounded out to Votto unassisted. Reed retired all three batters he faced.

In the bottom of the inning the Reds put Brandt Stallings on second base to start the inning against Dylan Covey.  Senzel grounded up the middle Goins fielded and got Stallings going to third.  Votto singled putting Senzel in scoring position.  Reshard Munroe got behind 0-2 but worked a the count full as Senzel and pinch runner Leandro Santana pulled a double steal.  Munroe walked to load the bases.  Stuart Fairchild was hit by a pitch to tie the game.  With Sherman Johnson pitching, Covey threw a wild pitch and the Reds avoided a sixth tie, winning 6-5.

The rule has been proposed and used prior to this by San Francisco this spring.

"I really like the rule," said Bell who has tried a lot of unorthodox things this spring. "Being in the minor leagues  last year I saw a lot of games.  You reward the fans for staying this long.  I thought it created some interesting situations.  It was very good for player development because you have to think and strategize."

Bell went to umpire Alan Porter and asked if he could use the new rule.

'I had heard about it three or four days ago it could be an option if both managers agreed," Bell said. "We already had so many ties.  Let's see if we could have a better chance to win it.  I went out before the ninth Alan Porter said we could.  The White Sox sent their man out to start the ninth."