The Seattle Mariners are yet to find a solution to any of their problems. Payroll problems have continued to narrow their options, and targets keep flying off the board. Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times says that the Mariners are coming to terms with the possibility of only solving one of their problems. They always knew it was always going to be hard to operate off the paper-thin budget given to them by owner John Stanton. One avenue they are exploring is trading ace Luis Castillo.
Mariners, Orioles Engaging in Luis Castillo Trade Talks
We know that trading Castillo is something the Mariners have become increasingly open to this offseason. With a severe shortage of spending money, the Mariners can look to free up the $24 million the 32-year-old will make next year. Castillo signed a five-year, $108 million extension shortly after his trade to Seattle in 2022. He is getting paid handsomely too, earning $72.5 million over the next three seasons, along with a $25 million option for 2028. All this comes with a full no-trade clause that Castillo would have to waive. That is no guarantee given his success in Seattle.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic even reported how hesitant Seattle was to trade Castillo, citing a lack of replacements for any of their pitching. Swinging a deal primarily for bats would open up even more holes to fill.
Seattle Reaching Out to Multiple Teams
MLB Network’s Jon Morosi talked about the near-trade between the Boston Red Sox and Seattle. The Mariners have shown prolonged interest in first baseman Triston Casas. The trade would have seen Casas and Masataka Yoshida sent to Seattle. The Mariners were unwilling to finalize the trade due to a lack of funding, with only around $6 million being freed up by acquiring Yoshida.
“The Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners have talked before and in recent days about a potential [Luis] Castillo trade to Baltimore…”
– @jonmorosi on #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/nvIf3sFIDc
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 6, 2025
Morosi then mentioned talks between the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle escalating. Baltimore has become almost the polar opposite of Seattle. In their rebuild, Baltimore prioritized young, offensive success, while Seattle focused primarily on pitching. This makes a deal between the two almost a given. The Orioles have a plethora of young bats they could part ways with for Castillo.
Jordan Westburg would be an ideal candidate for a trade, with Gunnar Henderson taking shortstop, and Jackson Holliday slated to take second base coming into 2025. Another name the Mariners could look at is Ryan Mountcastle, who would fill one of Seattle’s many holes at first base.
Morosi mentioned that Baltimore’s willingness to take on Castillo’s deal after signing Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano is unknown. While the initial signs are encouraging, we will have to wait and see what happens.
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