Baltimore Orioles Among Four Teams To Inquire About Mariners' Luis Castillo

The Baltimore Orioles will face competition for right-hander Luis Castillo, if they opt to pursue him in the trade market.

Sep 8, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. / Jeff Le-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles still don't have a clear answer from Corbin Burnes, at least publicly. The Orioles likely know whether they have a chance to re-sign their ace, but things change quickly in free agency, and perhaps they still think there's reason to believe he could return.

If the former Cy Young Award winner decides to sign elsewhere, Baltimore would have to pivot. Whether they'd focus on a trade for an ace-caliber arm or sign one, there are options on the market.

As things start to settle around baseball, with multiple free agent signings and trades, Luis Castillo looks to be the top arm for the Orioles to target.

Castillo has ace-caliber stuff, and pitching for a Seattle Mariners team that arguably has the best staff in baseball makes him a trade candidate.

The Mariners would need a decent package for the right-hander, especially with his cheap contract, but Baltimore has the pieces to move.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Orioles are one of four teams that inquired about the right-hander.

"Interest in Castillo increased significantly after the New York Yankees signed free-agent lefty Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract... Castillo, 32, is owed less than one third that amount — $68.25 million over the next three years. Fried, who turns 31 on Jan. 18, is the superior pitcher, but three times better?... Castillo is tied for 11th with 121. His durability and 3.56 career ERA are two reasons why the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets are among the teams to at least inquire on him, according to league sources and reports."

The other teams Rosenthal touched on could also offer Seattle an impressive package, which puts some pressure on Baltimore's front office.

Rosenthal went on to say that the Mariners need to be wowed by a deal. Giving up a pitcher with sort of contract status as Castillo is a hard bargain these days in baseball. It's possible Seattle could be looking for the sort of haul that the Boston Red Sox just gave up to get Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox. He was a pitcher Baltimore coveted in trade but the deal never came to fruition.

Since 2022, Castillo has been as good as advertised, posting an ERA below 3.65 each season. His best showing came in 2023 when he finished with 219 strikeouts and a 3.34 ERA in 197.0 innings.

He doesn't hit free agency until the end of the 2027 campaign, giving the Orioles plenty of time to contend with him on the roster.

Perhaps the biggest piece of Castillo's contract, Baltimore would have payroll flexibility. If the Orioles only have to pay him $68.5 million over the next three seasons, that would give them a perfect opportunity to sign others.

The package would be big, but if it secures Baltimore its ace for the next few years, why not give it a chance?