MLB Trade Rumors 2019: Top 25 assets

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 20: San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) throws a pitch during a MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 20, 2019 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JUNE 22: Luis Castillo #58 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on June 22, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

7. Luis Castillo

Things are looking up slightly for the Cincinnati Reds this season, but their rebuilding effort is still going to take a few more seasons. They also play in a division that is locked down by three elite teams who don’t show any signs of relinquishing their stranglehold on the top three spots. The Reds are getting much closer to relevancy, but still need the Chicago Cubs machine to slow down before they can really get serious about contending again.

Right-hander Luis Castillo was a relatively late bloomer, but he has blossomed into a Cy Young contender. The 26-year-old is 6-1 with a 2.20 ERA through his first 14 starts and is striking out 10.6 per-nine and leads the NL in allowing only 5.6 hits per nine. Castillo has just been nasty and hasn’t even hit arbitration yet.

The Reds are bursting at the seams with veteran trade chips to flip, but Castillo represents their best chance to bring back an absolute game-changing haul. While it’s difficult for a team to consider trading a bona fide ace like Castillo this soon, it might make sense to pull the trigger if the offer is too good to be true.

Castillo is the type of trade chip that could bring back five impact prospects. There are a lot of factors for the Reds to weigh here, but a trade has to be on the table. The team is still at least two years away from contending, and a not-insignificant portion of their strong pitching staff — namely Sonny Gray and Tanner Roark — should also be dealt by the end of July. The Reds should follow the Tampa Bay Rays’ lead and look to bring back the type of return that Chris Archer yielded last summer.

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