Yankees miss on Luis Castillo: 3 trade targets to move quickly on

1. Frankie Montas is now the Yankees top trade target

Remember the note that Heyman mentioned Quintana was a potential target for New York at the trade deadline. As it turns out, it was part of a report that stated that Frankie Montas was now the top focus for the Yankees.

Whenever it came down to the two top trade targets on the board for New York to address their starting pitching, it was always Castillo and Montas who were mentioned. So it’s only natural that, with the Mariners swooping in and taking the former from them, they now switch their attention to the latter while he’s still available.

Montas has been a stud for the past two seasons with the Oakland A’s but has put forth his best effort yet in 2022, even with some minor injuries sidelining him for a start or two. In 19 starts for the year, he has a 3.18 ERA with a 1.127 WHIP. He’s been far better and, frankly, dominant than his 4-9 record on the year would indicate (thanks a lot, A’s).

Montas could be the same caliber of addition for the Yankees as Castillo would’ve been as he’s also young (just 29 years old) and in pristine form as of right now. He could be the push that takes New York over the edge in the postseason, meaning that they can’t afford to balk on a deal in the way they did with Castillo.