CINCINNATI — The Reds had no shortage of suitors wanting a crack at acquiring rotation ace Luis Castillo as Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET trade deadline approached. General Manager Nick Krall made the move Friday night.
Castillo was traded to the Mariners for four Minor League prospects, including three who were ranked in the top five in the Seattle organization at the time of the deal.
“We liked the high-end players, also with some depth in the deal. I’d say we had 10-15 teams that were at some level,” Krall said after a 6-2 Reds loss to the Orioles. “We tried to get the best players we could get back. We felt this was the “Best return we could get for Luis and the best we could do. We really like all four players and we think all four players have a chance to be potential big leaguers.”
Castillo, 29, is 4-4 with a 2.86 ERA in 14 starts this season and was named to the National League All-Star team for the second time earlier this month. He joined the Reds in a January 2017 trade that sent veteran starting pitcher Dan Straily to the Marlins.
“Luis is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met at this club. Great guy, great pitcher. family man It’s great to have him here as long as we did,” Krall said. “But at the end of the day, we had to get better in the long run. We felt that these four players will help us do that.”
In his last start Wednesday against the Marlins, Castillo pitched seven strong innings and struck out the side in the seventh before being ejected to a standing ovation from Reds fans at Great American Ball Park.
“It’s been a beautiful experience,” Castillo said through translator Jorge Merlos. “The staff, the team, everyone with whom I have been able to establish some kind of connection. Having my name on the lips of fans and having them cheer me on and say things about me is something I will treasure forever. I won’t forget that.”
With Castillo making $7.35 million in 2022 and set to be a free agent after the 2023 season, the Reds had been rumored to be moving the right-hander since before spring training.
“Obviously it’s great to know where I’m going now, but I didn’t want to leave,” Castillo said. “I built a family here. They were the team that gave me the opportunity to play first. We’ll see what happens in Seattle and see what the team is like.”
Marte, 20, was Seattle’s top prospect and is ranked as the No. 18 prospect overall by MLB Pipeline. He batted .270 with an .820 OPS, 15 home runs and 55 RBI in 84 games with High-A Everett. Arroyo, 18, was the Mariners’ third-round pick and is the No. 93 prospect overall. He was Seattle’s second-round pick in the 2021 Draft and batted .316 with an .899 OPS, 13 homers and 67 RBIs at Single-A Modesto.
Prior to the trade, Cincinnati was already loaded with shortstop depth that includes prospects Elly De La Cruz (Reds No. 3 prospect), Matt McLain (No. 4) and Jose Barrero.
“We’ve got guys who are premium athletes, potentially middle-of-the-order bats,” Krall said of the new shortstops. “They can hit anywhere in the order. They’re guys we really, really like and we’ll have to find out as we go through the ranks.”
Stoudt, 24, was ranked Seattle’s No. 5 prospect and was a third-round pick in the 2019 Draft. He was 6-6 with a 5.28 ERA in 18 starts for Double-A Arkansas .
“We saw him in the spring,” Krall said. “He’s a guy we potentially liked as part of the [Jesse] Winker Pack [in March]. It was great to be able to get it. He has a chance to start in the Major Leagues.”
Moore, who turns 23 next month, was a 14th-round pick in the 2021 Draft. He had a 1.95 ERA in 25 relief appearances for Modesto.
“Explosive, explosive stuff,” Krall said. “Fastball is up to 102 [mph] with one more slider. He’s trying to take advantage of that and be the best pitcher he can be.”
The payroll-slashing Reds have been offloading veterans since the offseason and continued to deal several veteran players during spring training. They also traded outfielder Tyler Naquin to the Mets for a pair of minor leaguers Thursday, and more moves are expected before Tuesday’s deadline.
Even though Castillo’s move was expected, it was still hard to say goodbye as the team learned he was headed to Seattle after Friday’s game.
“I don’t know if you can ever really be ready for that. We’re going to miss him,” coach David Bell said. “Everybody at the club and the organization, he’s contributed a lot. I hope he knows that. I tried to tell him. I tried to thank him for all his contributions on the field, the club and the community. He, just by being exactly who he is, there’s no question that he inspired me to be a better person. I think he inspired a lot of people in Cincinnati. Definitely in that room. I couldn’t have done anything else.”