The Baltimore Orioles entered the offseason with a huge hole in their starting rotation.
Last offseason, Baltimore acquired starting pitcher Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers. After a dominant season with the Orioles, Burnes landed in free agency this offseason.
The 2024 Orioles ace opted to betray Baltimore and sign a huge deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Now, Orioles pitcher Grayson Rodriguez is set to miss time with an injury. The right-hander is experiencing soreness on the back of his elbow and will begin the 2025 season on the injured list.
This leaves the door wide open for the Orioles to swing a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Mariners for their ace, Luis Castillo.
Castillo, 32, is entering the third year of a five-year contract worth north of $100 million.
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This Orioles-Mariners trade would help Baltimore survive after Grayson Rodriguez injury
Any deal for a star like Castillo would likely revolve around former top prospect Heston Kjerstad. The young outfielder is seemingly blocked in Baltimore for the time being, so a trade could emerge on the horizon.
Kjerstad, 26, has flashed serious promise in his short time in the big leagues.
The left-handed swinger has a smooth swing and a balanced approach at the dish, which leads to him being on time more often than not. The Orioles have a plethora of talented outfielders, both in the big leagues and in the minor leagues, so it might be tough to find playing time for Kjerstad.
Beavers, 23, has shown tremendous promise in his short professional career. He’s not as polished as Kjerstad, but the Mariners don’t need him to step into the starting lineup on day one.
His potential is very high, and the 23-year-old is still well before his best years on the field.
Willems, 21, has a great arm and huge power, but there are some flaws in his game. He has home run ability at any point in time and with some development, could be a solid bat in any team’s farm system.
This deal could work for both sides.
The Mariners have six big league caliber pitchers and only five spots in the rotation. They also have a few top prospects who seem ready to break into the big leagues. Acquiring three talented position player prospects in exchange for Castillo would work perfectly.
