The Red Sox make a Move, grabbing a Pitcher from the Royals to fill a spot on their 40-man Roster

After making two major moves over the weekend, the Red Sox kicked off the first week of 2024 with a minor one Tuesday.

Boston claimed right-handed pitcher Max Castillo off waivers from the Royals, the team announced. Castillo will be added to the 40-man roster, which is now full. The club will need to clear a spot for starter Lucas Giolito, whose signing is not yet official, in the coming days. Kansas City designated Castillo for assignment late last month to make room on its 40-man roster for former Red Sox outfielder Hunter Renfroe, who signed a one-year contract.

Castillo, 24, has 21 games (six starts) of major league experience with the Blue Jays (2022) and Royals (2022-23) and owns a 5.43 ERA while striking out 47 batters in 59 ⅔ innings. The Venezuela native spent most of last season at Triple-A Omaha, going 6-7 with a 4.58 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 116 innings over 22 appearances (21 starts) at the minors’ highest level. He has pitched well in winter ball in his native Venezuela, going 5-0 with a 2.72 ERA (15 ER/49.2 IP) in 11 games (nine starts).

Castillo was one of two players the Blue Jays sent to the Royals at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for second baseman Whit Merrifield. He entered the 2023 season as the No. 18 prospect in Kansas City’s system, according to Baseball America. Here’s that site’s preseason scouting report:

“Castillo isn’t flashy. He’s more of a yeoman capable of fulfilling various roles on a pitching staff. His 93-mph fastball plays up because of how well he locates it, and induces weak contact with armside run. A key to his development in 2022 was switching from a two-seamer to a four-seamer–which helped the rest of his pitches play up thanks to the different shape. Castillo’s best secondary offering is an above-average, 87-88 mph changeup that he commands well. It is firm and lacks a lot of separation from the fastball, but the above-average vertical separation allows it to play solidly. Castillo’s best bat-missing pitch is an 83-mph slider with short shape that has paired well with his fastball and changeup. While there’s nothing plus in his repertoire, Castillo succeeds with his pitching smarts and by mixing and matching.”

Castillo will be in major league camp and profiles as a member of the Triple-A Worcester rotation (serving as major league depth) to start the season. He’s the fifth external pitching addition chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has made to the 40-man roster this winter, joining Isaiah Campbell, Cooper Criswell, Justin Slaten and Greg Weissert.