Luis Castillo to Red Sox? Suggesting MLB trades, signings to bolster 6 would-be contenders

We’ve already seen large swings this offseason from immoderate of the big-market teams: The Mets won the Juan Soto sweepstakes, the Yankees reeled successful Max Fried, the Dodgers nabbed Blake Snell, the Giants signed Willy Adames, the Red Sox traded for Garrett Crochet and the Cubs dealt for Kyle Tucker.

Some small- and mid-market teams person besides gotten retired of the gross quickly, pinch the Athletics landing Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs, the Orioles acquiring Tyler O’Neill and Japanese righty Tomoyuki Sugano and the Guardians making a brace of important moves to amended their rotation (bringing backmost Shane Bieber and trading for Luis Ortiz).

However, each squad still has needs to reside and immoderate would-be contenders — specified arsenic the Braves, Mariners and Diamondbacks to sanction a fewer — haven’t done enough.

Therefore, I thought I’d propose moves to thief six teams capable cardinal needs and/or jump-start their offseasons. Please fto maine cognize what you deliberation of these projected trades and signings successful the comments conception and adhd your ain ideas arsenic well.

1. Reds — Acquire CF Luis Robert Jr. successful waste and acquisition pinch White Sox

Robert would beryllium a awesome fresh pinch the Reds, who request different powerfulness bat for their lineup and an upgrade successful the outfield. Although he’s been inconsistent connected some sides of the shot during his profession and has a history of nagging injuries, Robert besides has won a Gold Glove Award, deed 38 homers successful a play and stolen 20 aliases much bases the past 2 years. He’s nether squad power for 3 much seasons.

The White Sox are looking for major-league-ready talent aliases position-player prospects and lucifer up good pinch the Reds. The waste and acquisition package could see 1 of the Reds’ apical shortstop prospects, Tyson Lewis, and a third-base imaginable specified arsenic Sal Stewart aliases Cam Collier. The Reds tin spend to portion pinch 2 from that trio because they person capable extent astatine those positions pinch Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz and Noelvi Marte successful the fields and Edwin Arroyo, their apical infield prospect, successful the minors. Lewis positive Stewart aliases Collier would beryllium a beardown return for the White Sox but this woody should activity for some sides.

2. Mariners — Trade RHP Luis Castillo to Red Sox for 1B Triston Casas and 3B/1B Blaze Jordan

The Mariners person 1 of the champion starting rotations successful shot but person been reluctant to waste and acquisition from that furniture — and rightfully so. However, if they can’t spend to lure a area infielder for illustration Pete Alonso, Christian Walker aliases Alex Bregman successful free agency, they will person to move 1 of their starters to get a powerfulness bat. They should support each of their young starters and be consenting to move Castillo, which would besides lessen their early financial vulnerability and perchance thief them get much bats. (Castillo, 32, logged a 3.64 ERA past play complete 175 1/3 innings. He will make $24.15 cardinal successful each of the adjacent 3 years and has a $25 cardinal vesting action for 2028.)

If the Red Sox don’t onshore free-agent ace Corbin Burnes, which they are trying to do, they could pivot and motion Bregman to play 3rd base, which would necessitate a move of Rafael Devers to first and let them to waste and acquisition Casas and a area infielder specified arsenic imaginable Blaze Jordan for Castillo to further amended their rotation. Casas, 24, profiles arsenic a early 25-30 location tally powerfulness bat; he won’t beryllium eligible for arbitration until 2026. Jordan, who will move 22 this week, was a third-round prime successful 2020; he batted .261/.305/.388 pinch 7 homers and 22 doubles past play astatine Double A. A win-win for some organizations.

3. Braves — Sign RHP Jack Flaherty

The Braves mislaid Fried to the Yankees successful free agency and location is no guarantee Charlie Morton will return to Atlanta either. Flaherty would beryllium a bully summation to their rotation if his aesculapian reports cheque out. (The Yankees backed retired of a preliminary waste and acquisition statement pinch the Tigers for Flaherty astatine the waste and acquisition deadline after reviewing the righty’s medicals.) Flaherty was considered by galore arsenic the Dodgers’ champion starting pitcher erstwhile the postseason began. He went 13-7 past play pinch the Tigers and Dodgers, posting a 3.17 ERA and 1.068 WHIP complete 28 starts, pinch 194 strikeouts successful 162 innings. I’m not judge what the statement position should look for illustration because the magnitude will dangle connected the aesculapian reports and exams, but Flaherty would beryllium a bully pivot for the Braves.

4. Diamondbacks — Re-sign 1B Christian Walker

The Diamondbacks request to bring backmost Walker, but they look steep title successful free agency from teams for illustration the Yankees, Mariners, and Mets (if they don’t re-sign Alonso). Walker has won 3 consecutive NL Gold Glove awards astatine first guidelines and has averaged 32 location runs per play complete that span. He’s 1 of the Diamondbacks’ leaders and a backbone of their team. If they want to return to the playoffs, it’s imperative they re-sign Walker, moreover if they person to spell to a 4th twelvemonth to get a woody done. It will astir apt return 4 years and $100 cardinal to onshore Walker, who will move 34 successful March. It would beryllium particularly risky astatine the backmost extremity of the deal, but that’s the value to do business successful 2024.

5. Blue Jays — Sign 3B Alex Bregman and RHP Corbin Burnes

The Blue Jays request different bat successful their lineup and request to amended the constitution and characteristic of their clubhouse. Bregman would do both, but they’d person to connection overmuch much than the Astros to get him to locomotion distant from Houston, wherever he wants to play. If the Blue Jays are consenting to do an eight-year woody worthy much than $200 million, they’d person a morganatic chance to onshore him. That would springiness them 1 of the champion infields successful the crippled pinch Vladimir Guerrero Jr. astatine first base, newly acquired Andrés Giménez astatine 2nd base, Bo Bichette astatine shortstop and Bregman astatine 3rd base.

In addition, they should motion Burnes to a nine-year, $247 cardinal statement to caput their rotation. If the Blue Jays could spend to make monolithic free-agent offers to the likes of Shohei Ohtani past twelvemonth and Juan Soto this year, why not pivot and adhd Burnes and Bregman? It would spell a agelong measurement successful making Toronto a contender successful 2025 and beyond.

6. Mets — Re-sign LHP Sean Manaea

While the Mets observe the Soto signing, they besides must return a activity and recognize they still request to amended their rotation to triumph the NL East. As it stands, the Mets’ rotation includes Kodai Senga, David Peterson, converted reliever Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas, on pinch extent options specified arsenic Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn. Bringing backmost Manaea would beryllium a immense move. He went 12-6 past play pinch a 3.47 ERA and 184 strikeouts complete 32 starts. He made delivery and arsenal adjustments during a breakout run that featured a .185 batting mean against and 0.938 WHIP successful the 2nd half of the season. The Mets’ pitching room deserves in installments for his 2024 occurrence and Manaea, who will move 33 successful February, would beryllium wise to return, each things being equal. A statement successful the scope of 4 years and $87 cardinal should get it done.

(Top photograph of Luis Castillo: Alika Jenner / Getty Images)

Jim Bowden , a nationalist writer for The Athletic MLB, was formerly the Sr. VP and wide head for the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals for a mixed 16 years, including being named the 1999 MLB Executive of the Year by Baseball America. He is the lead MLB Analyst and Insider for CBS Sports-HQ and a regular talk-show big connected SiriusXM for the MLB Network and Fantasy channels. Follow him connected twitter: @JimBowdenGM Follow Jim connected Twitter @JimBowdenGM