Mere moments after they traded for Garrett Crochet during the Winter Meetings, rumors surfaced that the Boston Red Sox were not done adding to their starting rotation.
Social media exploded with speculations of a trade between Boston and the Seattle Mariners, but nothing ever came to fruition with the M’s, who have plenty of pitching talent to spare. MLB insider Mark Feinsand of MLB.com recently revealed what held up a potential deal.
Seattle sought Triston Casas in return for veteran righty starter Luis Castillo, and the Sox were willing to give him up on one condition: the Mariners also take on Masataka Yoshida and the three years and $55.8 million remaining on his contract.
Red Sox Nation has conflicting opinions about that potential trade, but most seem content it didn’t go through. Castillo is a solid, veteran arm who would’ve brought experience to Boston’s pitching staff, but plenty of fans believe Casas will work out to be a 40-home-run hitter and be more valuable than just a trade piece.
Red Sox’s trade demands for Mariners killed potential Luis Castillo deal
Seattle turning down the Sox’s proposal forced them to turn to the free agent market. Boston hadn’t spent money since it signed Aroldis Chapman before the Winter Meetings began, and fans were beginning to lose patience, especially since the team offered $700 million to Juan Soto. After losing out on Castillo, the Red Sox did what they should’ve done all along — use their abundant funds and payroll flexibility to sign a free agent to soup up the rotation without sacrificing any talent the team already has.
The additions of Walker Buehler and Patrick Sandoval improved the Sox’s rotation without any of the risk of a trade. Their deals are short at one and two years, respectively, and the moves didn’t require the inclusion of Casas as part of a salary dump, which would’ve been a widely unpopular move among Red Sox fans.
Adding Castillo would have added more than $72 million to Boston’s payroll over three years and cost it two hitters. The Red Sox are trying to offload Yoshida this winter, but doing it for Castillo would be ill-advised, especially when considering the righty’s home-road splits since he began playing at T-Mobile Park. Castillo clocked a 3.15 ERA in his 16 home starts and a 4.25 ERA in other ballparks. At Fenway, Castillo could work out to be average, at best.
The Red Sox’s exorbitant trade demands killed a potential deal, but it may have worked out in their favor. Boston finally spent money to quell its hungry fanbase and held onto a popular player who could rake next season, as he’s done before, or be part of a better trade.
