Red Sox Reportedly Persistent in Trying to Trade for Another Star Pitcher

After swinging a trade for All-Star southpaw Garrett Crochet on Wednesday, the Boston Red Sox are reportedly still looking to bolster their starting rotation heading into 2025.

Seattle Mariners starter Luis Castillo has been linked to Boston via trade. Castillo is a three-time All-Star in 2019, 2022, and 2023. In 30 starts last season, he posted an 11-11 record with a 3.64 ERA. His 9 strikeouts per nine innings ranked 10th among American League starters in 2024.

Since arriving in Seattle, Castillo has recorded a 3.43 ERA and struck out opposing hitters at an impressive rate of 9.7 K/9. The right-hander's 2023 campaign was acknowledged with a fifth-place finish in the 2023 American League Cy Young Award Voting.

The Dominican native spent the first five and a half seasons of his career with the Cincinnati Reds before he was traded to Seattle at the 2022 trade deadline.

Seattle's starting pitching trio of Castillo, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby have often been the subject of trade speculation, but all three remain in the Emerald City. One Red Sox has frequently had frequently been named in hypothetical trade proposals – first baseman Triston Casas, but multiple sources have confirmed that Casas was not involved in conversations with the Mariners to acquire Castillo.

Notably, Castillo has a full no-trade clause, so any trade would require his approval. The right-hander has three years and I’m $72 million remaining on his contract. Despite Mariners executive Jerry Dipoto stating that trading any of Seattle's three frontline starters would be "Plan Z" this offseason, Boston's talks with the Mariners reportedly progressed to the point that the M's front office checked in with Castillo to gauge if he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause.

On Friday, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reported that the Red Sox had in fact been in trade talks for Castillo, but that those conversations had "cooled" once Boston landed Crochet.

Coming into the offseason, starting pitching was a clear area of need for the Red Sox to address. Craig Breslow and Co. were unable to land either Blake Snell or Max Fried in free agency before pivoting to the trade market for Crochet.

Former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes remains a free agent and could be a fit for the Red Sox, but Sox owner John Henry is "reluctant to award long-term deals to pitchers".

Breslow also suggested that Boston will be in on 23-year-old Japanese hurler Roki Sasaki. Due to the unique stipulations of young international free agents, Sasaki's contract will be capped, making him an affordable acquisition for whichever team ultimately obtains his services.

As things stand, Boston's rostered starting pitchers include Crochet, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Lucas Giolito, and 2024 All-Star Tanner Houck. The Red Sox tendered Nick Pivetta a $21.05 qualifying offer on Nov. 19, but Pivetta declined the offer and elected free agency. He remains unsigned, with a potential return to the Red Sox not completely eliminated as a possibility.

It remains to be seen if Boston's trade for Crochet shifts their approach to improving their rotation toward the free-agent market, or if Castillo remains in the mix as a potential avenue for the Red Sox.

The Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Yankees have also been suggested as potential landing spots should the Mariners deal Castillo.

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