Santiago Casilla Switching Sides in the Bay…Again

One day after signing free agent third baseman Trevor Plouffe to a one-year contract, the Oakland Athletics continued their miniature spending spree. The A’s reunited with right-handed relief pitcher Santiago Casilla on a two-year deal worth $11 million.

The Bay Area has been Santiago Casilla’s home during his entire Major League career, and that won’t change just yet. He originally signed with the Athletics as an amateur international free agent in 2000, under the false name of Jairo Garcia. He pitched under that pseudonym until 2005, when it was revealed he used false documents that listed him at 17 years old at the time of signing, rather than 20.

Casilla made his big league debut with the A’s in late 2004, and would go on to pitch all or parts of the next six major league seasons with them. He, at times, looked like a potential stud reliever, but didn’t have a lot of sustained success. In 152 appearances over those six years, he posted a 5.11 ERA, 1.578 WHIP, and allowed 4.5 walks and 1.1 home runs per nine innings.

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He was granted free agency after the 2009 season, and his career would take a dramatic turn when he inked a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants that offseason. He began the 2010 season in Triple-A Fresno, but was recalled in late May. His impact with the Giants was almost immediate.

Casilla started the year with five straight scoreless appearances (including two against his former Oakland teammates), and would become a big part of the bullpen. In 52 games, he posted a 1.95 ERA while the Giants made a run through October, eventually winning their first World Series on the west coast.

The success continued in 2011 with a 1.74 ERA in 49 games, and into 2012 with a 2.84 ERA while he took over the closer role after an injury to Brian Wilson and Sergio Romo‘s ineffectiveness. He saved 25 games in 2012 as the Giants made another run to the World Series. Though he wasn’t the pitcher that closed out the final game in 2012, he did earn the win in that game as the Giants won in 10 innings.

He continued to be a dominant reliever for the Giants from 2013 to 2015, posting a 2.22 ERA and 1.130 WHIP, and earning 59 saves in 178 games. 2016 was a down year for Casilla, as old demons reared their ugly heads. Home runs again became a problem as he allowed 1.2 per nine innings, and blew nine saves before eventually losing his closer’s role. The Giants’ 2016 season came to an end as the team blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning of NLDS game four, all while Casilla watched from the bench.

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But there are reasons for optimism with Casilla in 2017. He struck out 10.1 batters per nine innings, the best mark of his career, while walking only 2.9 per nine, the second-lowest mark of his career. His average fastball velocity (93.8 miles per hour) is right about on par with the past six seasons. Taking on a lesser role with a team that probably won’t be all that competitive may be just what the doctor ordered for the former Giants’ closer.

Casilla becomes another part of an Athletics’ bullpen full of aging middle relief options. The 36-year-old Casilla joins Sean Doolittle, who despite being just 30 years old, has missed significant time the past two years with shoulder problems. There’s also John Axford, who will be 34 on opening day and has bounced around the league over the past five years, and Ryan Madison, who is 36 and about three years removed from temporary retirement after Tommy John surgery.

Next: Vogelsong's Journey Continues with Twins

The Athletics and Giants take part in their traditional four-game, home-and-home series from July 31st to August 3rd. Casilla will return to San Francisco on August 2nd and 3rd, and he should be greeted with a nice ceremony (provided he is still with the team).