– by Adesina O. Koiki
A Lot of Sports Talk editor-in-chief
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BALTIMORE — Adrian Del Castillo may have found the secret to success at the plate as he continues his hot hitting: don’t think about the at-bats.
The Diamondbacks designated hitter has been forced to shoulder the load behind the plate due to injuries, but it’s been both sides where he has shone so far this season, with his latest exploits coming in a five-RBI day during Arizona’s 8-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles in 10 innings inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Wednesday afternoon. Del Castillo launched a two-run homer in the 10
Del Castillo, the Diamondbacks’ compensatory draft pick in 2021, started just four games behind the plate last season but has seen more time playing catcher with regular back-stopper Gabriel Moreno injured. The University of Miami pick has responded with a six-game hitting streak and a .346 average so far this season, and today’s career day included his first career triple that scored two runs in the third inning that gave Arizona a 2-1 lead.
Even after those exploits with the bat, Del Castillo knows there’s a more important role he must play as long as he’s wearing the tools of ignorance.
“I kinda like it,” said Del Castillo, who caught in only four of his 30 starts in 2025. “In a way, it gets my mind off each at-bat if I get out. … You’re out there calling pitches, winning a ballgame back there as well.”
*Editor’s note: Above the byline is the photo gallery from Wednesday afternoon’s game, with photos taken by ALOST staff photographer Yusuf Abdullah. After clicking on a photo to enlarge the picture, press the left and right arrow buttons on either side of the caption to scroll through the rest of the pictures that appear on the first page, Also, click on the numbers and/or arrow appearing immediately below the picture grid to load the next set of photos. There are 21 pictures in total.
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