The San Francisco Giants starting rotation took a brutal hit at the end of November when two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell signed with the rival-Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a double whammy for the Giants, as they not only lost one of their top arms, but saw him go to the already-loaded, NL West-foe World Series champions.
Soon after saying goodbye to Snell, San Francisco added shortstop Willy Adames in early December, giving a much-needed power boost to its lineup, and signed future Hall-of-Fame starting pitcher Justin Verlander in mid-January. Other than that, the Giants have been relatively quiet this offseason.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter created a trade idea on Thursday that would address San Francisco’s need for another ace. While the proposed move still wouldn’t get manager Bob Melvin’s club to the level of the Dodgers, it would certainly improve the team’s rotation on paper.
Giants receive:
– SP Luis Castillo
Mariners receive:
– 1B/OF Lamonte Wade
– 2B/SS Marco Luciano (may open season in minors)
– OF Dakota Jordan (likely to open season in minors)
Castillo Signed With Giants as Amateur Free Agent 13 Years Ago
Ironically, Luis Castillo signed with San Francisco as an amateur free agent in December 2011, soon after turning 19 years old. The righty was then traded to the Miami Marlins in December 2014, setting off a string of four trades for Castillo before he made his MLB debut in 2017.
Castillo was moved from the Marlins to the San Diego Padres in July 2016, and then back to South Beach less than one week later. Castillo was sent to the Cincinnati Reds in January 2017 and finally settled in after making 15 starts with the Reds that year.
He made his first All-Star team in 2019 and finished the season with a career-best 15-8 record, as well as career-high 226 strikeouts across 190 2/3 innings pitched covering 32 starts. Castillo earned his next All-Star honor in 2022, shortly before getting traded to the Seattle Mariners in July.
The 32-year-old had arguably his best season during his 2023 All-Star campaign, going 14-9 with a 3.34 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 219 strikeouts over career-high 197 innings (33 starts), while finishing fifth in the AL Cy Young voting.
Castillo went 11-12 with a 3.64 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 175 strikeouts across 175 1/3 innings pitched (30 starts) with Seattle in 2024.
What Would San Francisco Starting Rotation Look Like With Castillo Addition?
Here’s how the Giants starting rotation could look if they added Castillo:
– Logan Webb
– Luis Castillo
– Robbie Ray
– Justin Verlander
– Kyle Harrison
With four straight seasons of at least 11 wins, 150 strikeouts and ERAs and WHIPs of 3.47 and 1.23, respectively, or better, Logan Webb is the unquestioned No. 1 in the Bay Area. Trading for Castillo could give San Francisco an elite 1-2 punch.
Robbie Ray was the 2021 Al Cy Young Award and has among the best strikeout stuff in MLB, though injuries and wildness have plagued him during different stages of his 11-year career. Verlander’s credentials speak for themselves, though he’ll be 42 in February and had a difficult 2024 campaign with the Houston Astros. Kyle Harrison has shown glimpses of promise during his brief big-league career, going 7-7 with a 4.56 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 118 strikeouts in 124 1/3 innings pitched (24 starts) in 2024.
As far as what Seattle would be getting in return, Reuter argues that the relocation to the AL West could be a good fit for each of the pieces.
“In return, the Mariners get a talented offensive player who can help immediately in LaMonte Wade Jr., along with a pair of high-ceiling lottery tickets in Marco Luciano and Dakota Jordan. … Despite lacking prototypical power for a first baseman, Wade has still posted a 121 OPS+ in 920 plate appearances the last two years, logging a .376 on-base percentage along the way. The 31-year-old provides some versatility with the ability to play in the outfield, and while he is a free agent next winter, he would provide the immediate offensive boost the M’s need,” he said. “Luciano began each of the past five seasons as a Top 100 prospect, peaking at No. 12 on that list and spending three years in a top 20 spot, but his stock has dipped after he hit just .217/.286/.304 for a 69 OPS+ with 45 strikeouts in 126 plate appearances in the majors. Still only 23 years old, he could benefit from a change of scenery and compete for the Mariners starting second base job during spring training. … Jordan, 21, hit .354/.459/.671 with 20 home runs and 72 RBI in 63 games at Mississippi State last spring before signing an above-slot deal as a fourth-round pick. A 3-star wide receiver recruit out of high school, his elite athleticism and 60-grade power give him an intriguing offensive ceiling, though his hit tool is still raw.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Giants Land 3-Time All-Star in Bold Trade Proposal appeared first on Heavy Sports.