The Seattle Mariners might need their eye on Pete Alonso, and if the M’s can land the slugger, the Pink Sox might assist make it occur.
That may include its personal profit for Boston, after all, if the Mariners are keen to half with pitcher Luis Castillo to assist make Alonso occur.
The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier reported late Sunday evening that the Mariners have “expressed willingness to take heed to gives” for Castillo. On Monday morning, MLB Community’s Jon Morosi additionally famous Seattle would possibly look to maneuver Castillo, particularly if it meant clearing up cash for Alonso.
“I feel you might see some West Coast groups, just like the Mariners if they will clear some cash. That’s the large query,” Morosi mentioned Monday morning on MLB Community. “Can Seattle clear sufficient cash with probably transferring Luis Castillo to afford Pete Alonso?”
Castillo is about to enter the third yr of a five-year, $108 million deal. That deal comes with a $21.6 million annual clip towards the luxurious tax, and he’s owed $22.75 million money over the subsequent three seasons with a vesting choice for 2028. Based on Spotrac, the vesting choice (for $25 million) vests if he logs 180 innings in 2027. There’s additionally safety in there towards damage; if Castillo misses no less than 130 days in any of the subsequent three seasons due to an UCL damage, it turns into a $5 million staff choice.
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Because the Pink Sox proceed to show over rocks in the hunt for beginning pitching, Castillo is no less than price consideration. Whereas he carries a hefty price ticket, it’s not a protracted dedication that will include signing somebody like Corbin Burnes. Relying on how a lot cash Seattle desires to clear, the Pink Sox might work off the most important league roster to amass Castillo and never should dip an excessive amount of into the prospect pool.
The large query: Is he price it? Castillo turns 32 on Thursday. He has logged greater than 1,200 innings in his large league profession.
He’s additionally coming off a little bit of a down season wherein he went 11-12 with a 3.64 ERA, his highest mark since 2021. What’s simply as regarding is his strikeout fee dropped — from 10 punchouts per 9 innings to 9 — and his 3.91 FIP, his highest since 2018, may additionally recommend his season was even worse than the fundamental numbers recommend.
Nevertheless, if the Pink Sox imagine that’s a relative blip on the radar, his physique of labor is spectacular. Castillo has twice led the league in begins, logging no less than 30 begins in 5 of his eight seasons, together with 30 in 2024. He’s a workhorse. Even when he might be the pitcher he was in 2024 for no less than a few extra seasons, it would characterize an improve on what the Pink Sox rolled out final season.
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And whereas the contract could be barely uncomfortable given his age and up to date dip in manufacturing, something near his profession common in all probability is effective on this market. The Pink Sox ought to nonetheless attempt to signal a top-of-the-rotation arm like Max Fried. However given the sorts of cash being thrown round for the likes of Yusei Kikuchi and Luis Severino, a No. 2 or 3 like Castillo at mainly the identical cash seems to be even higher.
The Pink Sox could be far higher off buying somebody like Garrett Crochet, who’s a authentic game-changing expertise, particularly from the left facet. If the Pink Sox can’t land the Chicago White Sox stud, although, they’ll once more have to pivot, and Castillo is the form of arm they need to contemplate.
