Major League Baseball Player. He played Major League Baseball for nine seasons (1977 to 1985) as a pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins. Drafted in the sixth-round by the Kansas City Royals in 1974, he was later sold to the Dodgers. He made his major league debut for Los Angeles on September 19th, 1977, retiring future Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench for his first major league out. In 1981, he pitched in the National League Championship Series against the Montreal Expos, and went on to pitch against the New York Yankees in the World Series, which the Dodgers won four games to two. Traded to the Minnesota Twins in January 1982, he pitched for the Twins for next two seasons before returning to the Dodgers for the 1985 season. Released just prior to the beginning of the 1986 season, he spent two years in the minor leagues, and one year playing for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan before retiring with a career record of 38 wins, 40 losses and a 3.94 earned run average in 250 games and 59 starts. His most successful season was in 1980 when he went 8-6 with a 2.75 ERA and had five saves in 61 games. He is also remembered for teaching Dodgers teammate Fernando Valenzuela, how to throw his legendary screwball. After retirement, he worked as a motivational speaker and served as a member of the Dodgers' community relations department, participating in countless charitable events through the years and was a familiar face on Dodger hospital visits, autograph signings and at kids' holiday parties and baseball clinics. Castillo died after a prolonged battle with cancer.
Major League Baseball Player. He played Major League Baseball for nine seasons (1977 to 1985) as a pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins. Drafted in the sixth-round by the Kansas City Royals in 1974, he was later sold to the Dodgers. He made his major league debut for Los Angeles on September 19th, 1977, retiring future Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench for his first major league out. In 1981, he pitched in the National League Championship Series against the Montreal Expos, and went on to pitch against the New York Yankees in the World Series, which the Dodgers won four games to two. Traded to the Minnesota Twins in January 1982, he pitched for the Twins for next two seasons before returning to the Dodgers for the 1985 season. Released just prior to the beginning of the 1986 season, he spent two years in the minor leagues, and one year playing for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan before retiring with a career record of 38 wins, 40 losses and a 3.94 earned run average in 250 games and 59 starts. His most successful season was in 1980 when he went 8-6 with a 2.75 ERA and had five saves in 61 games. He is also remembered for teaching Dodgers teammate Fernando Valenzuela, how to throw his legendary screwball. After retirement, he worked as a motivational speaker and served as a member of the Dodgers' community relations department, participating in countless charitable events through the years and was a familiar face on Dodger hospital visits, autograph signings and at kids' holiday parties and baseball clinics. Castillo died after a prolonged battle with cancer.
Bio by: Louis du Mort
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