MLB insider addresses odds of Luis Castillo trade, cost for Orioles and Red Sox

After the Chicago White Sox traded starting pitcher Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo popped up in MLB rumors. While Seattle is setting a high asking price for its All-Star arm, it appears a trade could be on the horizon.

Castillo, age 32, is highly coveted by a majority of contenders in need of a starting pitcher right now. The veteran righty is under team control through the next three seasons, carrying just $72.45 million total in payroll obligations ($24.15 million AAV) over the next three seasons.

Luis Castillo stats (ESPN): 3.64 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 175-47 K-BB ratio, .238 batting average allowed, .705 OPS allowed in 175.1 innings pitched

While he might not be on the same level of a starter as Corbin Burnes, Castillo is a far more cost-effective option than it would’ve been for a club to sign Blake Snell ($182 million over five years) or Max Fried ($218 million over eight years). As a result, Seattle is generating frequent inquiries regarding a potential trade.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com shared his belief that both Castillo and San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease could be traded this winter. Of the two, though, he believes Castillo is more likely to be moved.

“The Mariners are desperate for an offensive upgrade but don’t appear to have the payroll flexibility to attack the free-agent market. Seattle could look to trade Castillo for an impact bat, though it’s possible the Mariners could try to offload his salary with the idea of improving the lineup via free agency.”
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on why the Seattle Mariners may trade Luis Castillo

Luis Castillo contract (Spotrac): $24.15 million salary in 2025, $24.15 million salary in 2026, $24.15 million salary in 2027, $25 million vesting option for 2028

One of the teams known to have inquired with Seattle regarding Castillo is the Boston Red Sox. Feinsand writes that Boston is a “strong match” for what the Mariners are looking for and throws out a potential deal where the Red Sox trade Triston Casas to the Mariners as part of a package deal for Castillo. In that scenario, Boston would potentially then sign Alex Bregman and move Rafael Devers to first base.

The Baltimore Orioles were also named as a potential fit for Castillo, in part because they have the MLB-ready hitters that Seattle wants. However, Feinsand and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic both believe that the Orioles might be more inclined to pursue a trade for Cease, landing a front-line starter with one year left on his contract as they did with Burnes last offseason.