The New York Mets are looking to strengthen their pitching staff as they prepare for the new season. Their current rotation consists of Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas, and David Peterson.
While not a bad group, it doesn’t compare to the dominant rotations of their NL rivals, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies. As a result, the Mets might explore a trade as Spring Training approaches.
Recently, Nick Deeds from MLB Trade Rumors suggested that the Mets could target Seattle Mariners’ three-time All-Star Luis Castillo. However, Deeds labeled this as a “longer shot,” noting that the Mets added left-hander Sean Manaea to their rotation already.
“The Mets are among the teams that have been connected to Castillo this winter, but they subsequently rounded out their rotation by adding left-hander Sean Manaea,” said Deeds.
“It’s at least theoretically feasible that the club could add Castillo and push Clay Holmes out of their projected rotation and into the bullpen, but given the fact that New York explicitly signed Holmes to start, that would be a major surprise, even as the Mets have excess pieces such as Brett Baty and Tylor Megill that would surely interest Seattle.”
Even though acquiring Castillo would give the Mets six potential starters, it’s a trade worth considering. More teams are embracing the flexibility of a six-man rotation, and Castillo would likely be a better option for a playoff start compared to Holmes or Montas.
Additionally, the Mets could afford to take on most or all of Castillo’s salary, allowing them to offer Seattle a minimal return, such as fringe big-leaguers or lower-level prospects.
Castillo has three years left on the five-year, $108 million extension he signed with the Mariners after the 2022 season, making him a younger and more reliable option than Manaea.
