The Baltimore Orioles are running out of time to address their rotation.
After Corbin Burnes signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the market for aces is dwindling more each day.
The Orioles should now look into trading for an ace. The Orioles’ farm system has thinned out some with players like Heston Kjerstad and Jackson Holliday graduating, but there are still pieces they could use to swing a deal with the Seattle Mariners for Luis Castillo.
Castillo, a three-time All-Star, has been thrown around in trade rumors for much of the offseason.
He’s produced back-to-back seasons with at least 30 starts and proving he can be a workhorse at the front of the rotation. Here is what a potential trade for Castillo could look like: Baltimore Orioles Acquire: SP Luis Castillo Seattle Mariners Acquire: OF Dylan Beavers (Orioles No. 6 prospect), OF Jud Fabian (Orioles No. 10 prospect) and RHP Patrick Reilly (Orioles No. 13 prospect) Coughing up three top 15 prospects may seem like a steep price, but Castillo has three guaranteed years of team control with a vesting option in 2028.
This means the Orioles could have Castillo for four seasons to extend the contention window. The Mariners are in search of lineup additions to help them create more offense in 2025 and beyond.
Even if they don’t want to rely on prospects to generate that offense, dealing Castillo would allow the Mariners to add by subtraction. Mariners general manager Justin Hollander won’t want to part with Castillo willingly, but he may soon realize it’s for the best if he wants to build a more balanced roster.
