While the Boston Red Sox have been linked to several top free-agent starting pitchers this offseason, their most significant move so far has been acquiring Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet via trade.
Could president of baseball operations Craig Breslow build on that by pulling off another blockbuster deal for Seattle Mariners ace Luis Castillo?
A three-time All-Star, Castillo has been a model of consistency since 2019. Over that span, he’s started 30 or more games four times, posting a 3.47 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and tallying 1,068 strikeouts in 971 innings. Adding him to Boston’s rotation would provide a strong boost at the top of the staff.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden has suggested that Castillo would be an excellent fit for the Red Sox and proposed a hypothetical trade:
- Red Sox receive: RHP Luis Castillo
- Mariners receive: 1B Triston Casas and 1B/3B Blaze Jordan
“If the Red Sox fail to sign free-agent ace Corbin Burnes, which they are pursuing, they could pivot by signing Alex Bregman to play third base. This would necessitate moving Rafael Devers to first base, allowing them to trade Casas and a corner infield prospect like Blaze Jordan for Castillo to strengthen their rotation,” Bowden explained.
For the Mariners, Casas would provide a controllable slugger to solidify first base, while Jordan, Boston’s 22nd-ranked prospect per MLB.com, would add depth to their farm system.
As for the Red Sox, Castillo would deliver a reasonably priced ace under contract for a few more years. He’s currently in the middle of a five-year, $108 million extension, earning $24.15 million annually from 2025-2027. His deal also includes a $25 million vesting option for 2028.
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