The Boston Red Sox and New York Mets have made two of the biggest moves in baseball this offseason, with the Red Sox acquiring All-Star pitcher Garrett Crochet and the Mets signing outfielder Juan Soto. Now MLB rumors link them to a potential bidding war for a starting pitcher who just became available.
Despite the addition of Crochet, who is under contract for two more seasons, the Red Sox rotation still needs a front-line starter. Meanwhile, New York is prioritizing starting pitcher after adding Soto amid ongoing dialogue with free agent first baseman Pete Alonso.
While Corbin Burnes is still available on the open market, his contract demands and the bidding war for his services between select NL and AL clubs are driving Boston and New York to explore alternatives. One of the top options seems to be a deal with the Seattle Mariners.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mets, Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles are among the teams that have inquired about a Luis Castillo trade with Seattle.
- Luis Castillo contract (Spotrac): $24.15 million salary in 2025, $24.15 million salary in 2026, $24.15 million salary in 2027, $25 million vesting option for 2028
Castillo, age 32, reportedly became one of the most coveted available arms in baseball after the New York Yankees signed Max Fried. As Rosenthal highlighted, the cost of signing Fried ($218 million over eight years) led teams to view a trade for Castillo ($68.25 million remaining over three years) as a more cost-effective option over adding a front-line starter from MLB free agency.
However, any deal with Seattle will come with its own steep asking price. Rosenthal reports that while the Mariners are willing to deal one of their best players, it will only happen if the return package makes the 2025 roster better.
- Luis Castillo stats (ESPN): 3.64 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 175-47 K-BB ratio, .238 batting average allowed, .705 OPS allowed in 175.1 innings pitched
Further complicating matters is Castillo’s no-trade clause, allowing him to dictate which team he plays for and if he is traded at all. While a deal isn’t imminent by any means, the level of activity this offseason and the Mariners’ interest in making significant changes to their roster open the door to Castillo being traded this offseason.
