Yankees: 3 trade deadline targets New York should avoid
By Tim Boyle
Yankees should avoid trading for Luis Castillo
Luis Castillo of the Cincinnati Reds is one of those trade candidates whose name is mentioned by every pitcher-needy team. He’s one of the best in the world at what he does if only because being a major league starter is such an exclusive club. At age 29, he remains a little too unproven for what the Yankees should look to possibly add at this year’s trade deadline.
Castillo has yet to have any one truly fantastic year. He also hasn’t been exceptionally bad in any of his six big league seasons including his start to 2022. What you see might indeed be what you get. Wild at times, he is coming off of a year in which he walked a National League-leading 75 batters.
If the Yankees were to trade for him, it doesn’t seem like they’re getting better. One could argue that from the current starting rotation, he wouldn’t even be an upgrade when any of them are at their best.
Castillo is someone the Reds would be wise to hold for ransom and only trade to a team in far more desperate need for a starter—one willing to pay a crazy price for him. His extra year of control beyond 2022 plus minor league options makes him an intriguing trade piece to help deepen a rotation but not make it one of the best in baseball.
One possibility to make Castillo a more favorable trade piece for the Yankees would be if they find their rotation shorthanded due to injury. In that case, maybe he does make a little more sense. If not, they would benefit far greater from paying a high price for whoever this summer’s Max Scherzer might be—a co-ace to throw out there every fifth day.