Could Mets Land All-Star Starter in Exchange For Former Top Prospect?

Could the New York Mets trade away this former first-round pick in exchange for a three-time All-Star starting pitcher?

May 25, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (22) at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

There is no question that the New York Mets need starting pitching help this offseason given Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana are all free agents.

New York started to address that issue by signing right-hander Frankie Montas to a two-year, $34 million deal that was first reported late Sunday night by ESPN's Jeff Passan.

This move was a solid starting point for the Mets as they are looking to build off their 89-win season from 2024. The team is expected at least one or two more starters this offseason and they could potentially explore the trade market to bring in a frontline arm.

ESPN's David Schoenfield floated the idea of a blockbuster trade that would see the Mets acquire All-Star starting pitcher Luis Castillo from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for former top prospect Brett Baty.

“(The Mets) could go to the high-rent district and sign Corbin Burnes or Max Fried but maybe a trade makes more sense, as Castillo, with three years of team control, is a safer bet than signing a player to a huge long-term deal,” Schoenfield wrote. “The Mariners could roll the dice on Brett Baty — who doesn’t have a spot on the Mets — to fill third base, with another prospect or two included as well.”

Castillo was traded to Seattle from the Cincinnati Reds in July 2022 and has had a strong career throughout his eight years in the major leagues, posting a 3.56 ERA in 211 starts career starts.

As for Baty, his future in New York was always going to be a lingering question after getting demoted to Triple-A for the second straight season and losing his third base job to breakout star Mark Vientos.

The 25-year-old slashed just .229/.306/.327 with four home runs and 16 RBI in 153 at-bats before getting sent to Syracuse on May 31.

Castillo signed a five-year, $108 million deal that would keep him in Seattle through 2027 with a $25 million vesting option for the 2028 season.

Castillo, 31, is coming off another strong season for the Mariners in 2024, where he went 11-12 with a 3.64 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP and 175 strikeouts in 175.1 innings before suffering a season-ending hamstring injury on September 10.

With the Mets only having Montas, Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn on their roster at this point, this blockbuster trade for Castillo would be a huge boost for New York's rotation.