Mariners should target Luis Castillo ahead of the trade deadline

Despite excellent pitching by the rotation, the Mariners could still use another starter and Luis Castillo makes sense as a prime candidate.

The Mariners’ rotation has been excellent of late, which helps explain their 16-3 record in the last 19 games prior to Tuesday night’s action. The starters find themselves ranked fifth for ERA in the Majors, heading into the first of two games versus the Washington Nationals.

Despite this, there is a strong argument to be made that Seattle could use another starter, as they make their push to finally end the longest active postseason drought in baseball. For a start, consider that their rotation has pitched the third-most innings so far this season.

In addition, George Kirby has been sent down to Triple-A to manage his workload, and will likely not be back until after the All-Star break. Even when he does return, the Mariners will still have him on an innings count, which — while entirely understandable — is less than ideal during the final weeks of chasing a wild card spot.

Now, throw in recent concerns that Logan Gilbert may also need a break after a recent dip in form, and adding another starter makes more sense. Enter Luis Castillo.

Castillo has just been selected to his second All-Star game and is having arguably the best season of his six years in the Majors. He is on course to set a career-best ERA of 2.92, while also posting a 3.04 FIP and 1.099 WHIP.

The 29-year-old possesses an upper-90s fastball and slider, to go along with one of the best changeups in the Majors. He is a low 3/4 pitcher, which is reminiscent of his idol Pedro Martinez.

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One of the most intriguing things about Castillo is that he still has some upside, i.e. more to offer. Generally speaking, he consistently has a high strike rate and is hard to hit against.

The main area which may be of concern to some, is that the Dominican Republic native missed the beginning of the 2022 campaign with shoulder soreness. However, it should be noted he’d never been on the injured list prior to this year, plus his previous velocity has now more or less returned.

In terms of Castillo’s contract, he’s earning $7.35 million this season and is arbitration eligible through 2023, before becoming an unrestricted free agent the following year. Of course, this all leads to the question of if the Mariners have a chance of obtaining him prior to the Aug. 2 trade deadline?

According to MLB analyst and insider Jim Bowden, most contenders have been in contact with the Cincinnati Reds, including the Mariners. Right away, they face the task of competing with the likes of the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers.

In terms of Castillo specifically, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that the Dodgers have had preliminary trade conversations with the Reds about the righty. While nothing is imminent, the Mariners would want to consider making their move soon.

Overall, there is no denying it will be a tough challenge for the Mariners, although they certainly have the pieces to offer. In this respect, it is worth making an approach regarding Castillo, as they look to do something special — and unheard of — for the first time since 2001.

Do you agree the Mariners need to boost their starting rotation? Or are there other areas you think they need to focus on, ahead of the trade deadline? Let us know in the comments section below.