Braves rumors: Surprise trade target, intriguing roster move, Andruw Jones HOF case

Braves rumors: Is Mariners ace Luis Castillo available?

It's unclear exactly what the Seattle Mariners strategy is this offseason. Seattle was never really in on Shohei Ohtani or Yoshinobu Yamamoto despite their affinity for the Japanese community, and their history with Ichiro Suzuki. Mariners fans had long been courting Ohtani, but Seattle general manager Jerry DiPoto never batted an eye.

The M's did sign Mitch Garver of late to a two-year contract which includes a mutual option. However, could it be a sign that more moves are coming? Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times hinted that the Mariners could be inclined to move on from ace Luis Castillo, which is rather surprising. Trevor Pedro of Sodo Mojo outlined this possibility:

"Seattle Times reporter and MLB insider Ryan Divish had an interesting take on MLB Network this week regarding the Mariners' willingness to trade pitching for proven offensive pieces. That nugget is familiar, as many media folks mentioned Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo throughout the offseason as possible trade pieces. However, Divish threw a new name, Luis Castillo, into the mix," Pedro wrote.

Castillo's contract pays him over $22 million a year through 2027, with a vested option for 2028. He's one of the best pitchers in the AL at his best, which makes it all the more confusing that Seattle would part ways with him, especially given their young core. However, the Mariners do have a surplus of young pitching, so trading Castillo to save some money makes sense on the surface, especially if ownership is crunching those numbers.

The Braves could be an intriguing trade partner. Castillo is signed long term, while Max Fried is not. Atlanta was in on Aaron Nola prior to his decision to re-sign with the Phillies, as well as Sonny Gray who signed with the Cardinals. Castillo is arguably just as productive as both, and already signed to a fair contract that won't force the Braves to break the bank.