The Red Sox have been busy reshaping their rotation this offseason, but they apparently had their eyes on an even bigger prize. Despite adding Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, and Patrick Sandoval, Boston made a serious push for Mariners ace Luis Castillo.
That pursuit seems to be cooling off. The Mariners are “less likely now” to move their top starter than they were earlier this winter, according to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times.
It’s easy to see why Boston was interested. Castillo’s been exactly what you want in a frontline starter – he put up a 3.64 ERA and struck out 9.0 batters per nine innings across 175 1/3 frames last year. At 32, he’s still got plenty left in the tank.
The framework for a deal seemed to make sense. Seattle’s got a deep rotation and could’ve used some young hitting talent – someone like Triston Casas or Wilyer Abreu might’ve been enough to get conversations going. But sometimes the deals that look obvious on paper just don’t come together.
That’s not to say this is completely dead. Both teams are heading into 2024 with their current rosters, but lets see what happens if either club isn’t where they want to be come July. Trade deadline desperation has a way of rekindling these conversations.
