3 Costly Luis Castillo Trades MLB Teams Should Still Pursue
By Sean Facey
The Reds' already slim chances of making the playoffs have faded drastically since the end of the All-Star break. They've dropped critical games against the Cubs and Rockies and don't seem like they can hang with the teams that are in the playoff race.
With such low odds of a postseason berth, the Reds are primed to ship out some of their stars at the deadline, chief among them being Luis Castillo. He has four years of control left on his contract and has been one of the best pitchers in baseball, factors that will guarantee a steep asking price. That being said, these three costly deals would prove to be well worth it for the teams vying for his services.
1. Braves: OF Cristian Pache, RHP Ian Anderson and C William Contreras
Both Pache and Anderson have had stellar seasons in the minors for the starter-hungry Braves. Pache has posted an .853 OPS in Double-A while Anderson has logged a 2.91 ERA in 18 starts. Contreras has struggled, but the Reds could use some depth at catcher in the farm system. It's a hefty haul that includes top-100 prospects in Pache and Anderson, but that's the price they're going to have to pay if they want to snag one of the best young arms in all of baseball.
2. Yankees: OF Estevan Florial, RHP Albert Abreu and RHP Chance Adams
Florial ranks as the 47th overall prospect in baseball thanks to his impressive mix of power and speed. He would have to be in any package heading to Cincinnati. The Yanks would also need to send a pair of arms, Albert Abreu and Chance Adams, with the latter having major league experience under his belt. Castillo's controllable contract makes his price incredibly high, but if the Yankees are keen on more than a one-year rental, he may be the best option.
3. Padres: INF Luis Urias and RHP Luis Patino
Urias and Patino stand as the No. 20 and 40 prospects in baseball respectively, and for good reason. Urias boasts one of the most consistent bats in recent memory, batting .316 in Triple-A this year with a .995 OPS. Patino has been equally outstanding in High-A, posting a 3.21 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 15 outings. Both have immense upside and would likely be future stars for the Reds. It might not be a massive deal in terms of volume, but as far as talent goes, the Reds would be getting plenty in return. For the Padres, Castillo would pair nicely with Chris Paddack, forming the best one-two punch of young stars in baseball.