PHOTO: Mariners' Luis Castillo turns heads with spot-on impersonation of The Rock

Known as "La Piedra" or "The Rock", Mariners ace Luis Castillo has long been considered to be one of the AL's most dominant arms. Ahead of his team's opening fixture of the 2024 season, Castillo was sure to live up to his nickname.

In a hilarious post on their official X account, Castillo's Seattle Mariners posted a picture of the 6-foot-2 right hander impersonating Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Though Luis Castillo's nickname does not take after that of the famed actor, the shared image makes it appear as though it could be.

"We’ve never seen Luis Castillo and @TheRock in the same room" - Seattle Mariners

The nickname that Johnson and Castillo share is a mere coincidence. Castillo is said to have earned that name by virtue of his steadfast demeanor. Additionally, legend has it that his grandmother placed stones on his mother's forehead when the latter went into labor with him in the Dominican town of Bani in 1992.

The post came after Castillo was named as his team's starter for their March 29 home opener against the Boston Red Sox. Set to be merely the third time that Castillo has faced the Red Sox, the 31-year-old is 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA and 16 career strikeouts against the team.

"All 9 strikeouts from Luis Castillo today: (he's ready for opening day)" - Steve

A longtime member of the Cincinnati Reds, Castillo was traded to the Mariners at the 2022 trade deadline. In 2023, which was the Dominican's first full season in Seattle, he put up a 14-9 record alongside a 3.34 ERA, striking out 219 opposing hitters across 197 innings of work.

Luis Castillo expects to play a pivotal role for his team in 2024

Last season, the Mariners' 3.74 combined ERA was the best in the American League, thanks in no small part to Castillo's efforts. In his final start of the preseason, Luis Castillo struck out nine Milwaukee Brewers hitters. Following the performance, he told the media:

"I just wanted to see how my pitches work, get all my mechanics right and just feel 100%, and I did that. Now, it's just wait for the season, hopefully stay healthy and just continue to roll."

Castillo's Mariners lost out on a postseason berth in the dying days of the 2023 season. However, if La Piedra can bring his best stuff early and keep up the pressure, the outcome could be better in 2024.