Shocking Details Revealed on Failed Trade Between Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners
When the MLB Winter Meetings took place Dec. 9-12 in Dallas, there was a lot of speculation over what moves the Seattle Mariners could make.
Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto and General Manager Justin Hollander both identified first base, second base and third base as the main positions of need for the team. There's also some spots for one or two relievers in the front end of the bullpen.
Seattle has been rumored in the offseason to have roughly $16-20 million available for its 2025 payroll. That meant that the trade market would be the most likely avenue for the Mariners to search for improvements.
Seattle seemed close to making a move during Winter Meetings. Reports said the M's were engaged in trade talks with the Boston Red Sox. The rumored deal would have sent veteran Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo to the Red Sox in return for first baseman Triston Casas.
That deal didn't come to pass. There were reports that came out saying that neither team viewed the other's offered player as good value in a one-for-one swap. Other reports said that Seattle wasn't interested in Casas at all.
But a recent story from MLB.com's Mark Feinsand seemed to indicate that a Castillo/Casas trade was on the table for both teams, albeit with a wrinkle that wasn't previously known.
According to Feinsand's story, Boston was willing to send Casas to the Mariners — with the caveat Seattle would also take designated hitter/outfielder Masataka Yoshida.
Yoshida was signed by the Red Sox on a five-year, $90 million contract out of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball before the 2023 season. According to Spotrac, he's set to earn $55.8 million in the final three years of his deal from 2025-27.
Yoshida hit .280 with 10 home runs and 56 RBIs in 2024.
Masataka Yoshida blasts a go-ahead 2-run shot 🚀 pic.twitter.com/wB5mjct2aG
— MLB (@MLB) August 20, 2024
This deal doesn't seem like a bad one for Seattle on paper, even with Yoshida included. The team would solve its first base woes with Casas (still on his rookie contract), and have a solid contact hitter in Yoshida. The Mariners wouldn't have saved as much money with that deal compared to taking only Casas. But they would still have saved around $6 million by trading for Yoshida and Casas, assuming Boston took all of Castillo's remaining contract.
But Yoshida, two years into his career, has been relegated to an every day designated hitter. The idea of paying $18.6 million a year over three years for a full-time DH likely isn't appealing for Seattle. It would also create a logjam in the lineup.
In 2024, the Mariners platooned Justin Turner with Luke Raley at first base. Turner would often play DH while Raley would be at first. If an outfielder was hurt, Raley would move out and Turner would slide in at first. Against left-handed pitching, Raley would sit and Turner would be at first.
With Casas and Yoshida in the mix, the Mariners wouldn't have the flexibility that worked for them in the last 34 games of 2024. There's also the injury risk. Casas played 63 games in 2024 and Yoshida played 108.
3 HOME RUN GAME FOR TRISTON CASAS!
— Boston Strong (@BostonStrong_34) September 22, 2024
pic.twitter.com/ePyxnF7muT
Since the potential trade fell through, Boston signed Walker Buehler to a one-year, $21.05 million deal. That contract all but certainly eliminates the Red Sox as a potential trade suitor for Castillo.
There's been a report that Seattle has been frustrated with the potential returns for Castillo. And with Boston off the table, it's hard to imagine any potential swaps involving the veteran three-time All-Star being more palatable for the Mariners.
Related Stories on Seattle Mariners
YEAR IN REVIEW: FIRST GAME OF DAN WILSON ERA STANDS OUT FOR MARINERS IN 2024: The Seattle Mariners had more impressive showings in 2024, but the first game of Wilson's tenure as manager against the San Francisco Giants was an important turning point. CLICK HERE
MARINERS "FRUSTRATED" AT POTENTIAL RETURNS FOR CASTILLO: The Seattle Mariners are still trying to find solutions in the infield and seem to be getting walled in the trade market. CLICK HERE
MLB INSIDER SPECULATES ON HYPOTHETICAL MOVE MARINERS COULD MAKE: The Athletic's MLB insider Jim Bowden talked in a recent mailbag about a potential trade between the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays that could solve the former's issues at third base. CLICK HERE
Follow Seattle Mariners on SI on social media
Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on "X" @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady. You can subscribe to the "Refuse to Lose" podcast by clicking HERE.
