The Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball announced the signing of right-hander Anderson Espinoza this week. Orix also signed righty Luis Castillo for the 28-year-old’s second season in Japan.
Espinoza is the more well-known of the two former big leaguers. That’s largely on account of his prospect status. At one time regarded among the top minor league pitching talents, Espinoza was dealt from the Red Sox to the Padres for Drew Pomeranz at the 2016 deadline. Unfortunately, the 6’0″ righty was then beset by myriad injuries.
Elbow soreness was a precursor to Tommy John surgery in 2017. He spent two years rehabbing only to have a setback that required a second TJS. Between the surgeries and the canceled minor league season in 2020, Espinoza didn’t throw a single minor league pitch over four years.
San Diego traded him to the Cubs for veteran outfielder Jake Marisnick during the 2021 campaign. He reached the big leagues in Chicago, tossing 18 2/3 innings over seven relief outings. Espinoza turned in a 5.40 ERA in that limited time and was outrighted from the 40-man roster at year’s end.
He signed a minor league pact to return to the Padres a year ago. The 25-year-old had a full season from the rotation with Triple-A El Paso but struggled to a 6.15 ERA through 131 2/3 frames. He fanned a below-average 19% of opponents while issuing walks at a lofty 12% clip. The Friars opted against calling him back to the majors, setting the stage for his first trip to Japan.
Castillo, the lesser-known righty by that name, reached the majors for three relief outings with the Tigers in 2022. After a decade in the minors, he made the jump to NPB a year ago with the Chiba Lotte Marines. Castillo split his time almost evenly between the Marines and their minor league club. At the NPB level, he posted a 3.12 ERA over 49 frames. His 17% strikeout rate was modest but he showed impeccable control, only walking 1.5% of opposing hitters.
TINSTAAPP
Remember when he was suppose to be good for the Padres? Maybe he’ll do well, and come back, always rooting for a comeback no matter if they are a nobody or washed player.
I said it at the time of the trade and I’ll say it again, Espinoza will be lucky to be half the pitcher Pomeranz was. That’s why you deal for the package of young guys, not just 1, especially for 2.5 years of an all star lefty.
Yamamoto’s replacement.
LOL!!
I’m loving this Hot Stove. So Spicy!
Can’t believe how slow Dec-Jan has been with all the quality guys left out there
Between him and Groome, I get the feeling that the RS pitching development leaves something to be desired.
True both were high on people’s lists then this last year the only thing high was their ERA.
Between him and Groome, I get the feeling that Dombrowski’s handling of the red sox farm deserves more and more vindication.
The game saw Espinoza throw for GCL Sox way back in ’15 still brings memories of a guy, who sat upper 90’s and filthy slider.
What have mentioned on this and other sites before, was inbetween each inning while he was still in the game? He’d pace back n forth the length of Sox dugout and shaking his arm entire time.. Like maybe some ailment that far back begining to develop. Was of opinion myself he had all the tools to become a huge asset for the future rotation and admit was bummed when he was traded to San Diego.
There was rumors he had some kind of arm issue when he 1st signed with Boston as an IFA
One of DD’s strengths, to paraphrase Branch Rickey, is the ability to trade a prospect one year too soon rather than one year too late. He didn’t like Moncada’s strikeouts and sent him off.
Which prospects that DD dealt away actually panned out?
Margot, to some extent?
DD’s drafts were also pretty bad for the Red Sox though. Aside from the Casas/Duran draft it was a thoroughly unimpressive bunch of picks.
Hate Donvrowskj but both went through multiple major injuries other than workload management not much more lose they can do.
Red Sox are absolutely pathetic at developing pitchers. They are 1000 times worse than any other team.
Haven’t heard that name in a while
True, the last name reminds me of the super-light-hitting Yankee SS of the early 1990s, Alvaro Espinosa.
Remember when I think it was ESPN ran the TV commercial where a grinder shop named its offerings after prospects, and near the end they talk about the Espinosa?
Seeing the name again reminds me of that, although, I dont think they were referencing this guy with it.
Espinosa is yet another reminder that not everyone makes it back from TJ surgery. The success rate has gotten so high that I have noticed some fans are happy when a young pitcher goes through the procedure just to “get it out of the way early.” It is never a good thing for anyone to have surgery because unforeseen complications can always arise.
With those stats, Espinosa should have gone back to the Sox. He could be their 3rd starter in that rotation!
I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHO THIS GUY IS BUT THE REST OF DA NPB BETTER RECOGNIZE CUZ THAT MAN’S PHOTO LOOKS GANGSTA!!!! LIKE HE IS ABOUT TO STRIKE YOU DOWN WITH GOD’S WRATH FASTBALL!!! LOL!!!!!