ESPN insider offers up young star in a hypothetical Mets-Mariners blockbuster trade

As the new year dawns, the Seattle Mariners are largely in the same position they were when the year ended. They have added a few minor league pitchers that hope to pop, they have added somecatching depth, and have been rumored to be in on nearly every financially feasible bat that is available.

Though Jerry Dipoto has vowed trading from his illustrious starting pitching group was "Plan Z", it seems more and more likely that might be the best way for the Mariners to get the most out of this offseason. Pretty much every team could use some pitching, and with the cost of solid starting pitching at what seems like an all-time high (and a cheap ownership group), it might be time that Dipoto makes a bold move.

We have looked at a number of those supposed bold moves that could be at Dipoto's disposal, yet none of them really seem to entice a lot of fans (or even Dipoto himself). It seems as though there is finally an interesting swap that could make sense for the Mariners and another team, as proposed by ESPN insider Buster Olney.

Buster Olney proposes a Mark Vientos for Luis Castillo trade with Mets

While many of the proposed trades for Luis Castillo are completely outlandish, Olney finally provides realism into what a potential deal might require for Dipoto to pull the trigger. Vientos is a young, controllable bat that showed he has star potential and the ability to anchor a lineup with Julio Rodriguez.

Vientos, at just 24 years old, enjoyed a breakout season in just 111 games, slashing .266/.322/.516 with 27 home runs and a 133 wRC+ that would play wonderfully in the middle of the Mariners lineup. The Florida native will enter year one of pre-arbitration at an estimated $800K, giving the Mariners an elite bat and plenty of payroll flexibility. This type of deal would address a major need for the Mariners while giving them nearly an additional $20-$25 million in flexibility, allowing them to spend a decent chunk address the hole at first base, second base, and potentially even a high-leverage reliever.

Castillo just makes too much sense for the Mets. After bagging the prize of the offseason, Juan Soto, the Mets will turn their attention to a rotation that needed a ton of help last year. After Japanese phenom Kodai Senga threw just 5 1/3 innings before his season ended, the team was reliant upon Sean Manea, Luis Severino, and Jose Quintana to make up their rotation. Severino left for the Athletics, Quintana is gone, and Manaea returned alongside Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes. No matter how it shakes out though, the team will need to add another solid starting pitcher, and Castillo fits like a glove.

How the rest of the offseason plays out will be fun to watch. Plenty of names are being thrown around to give Mariners fans excitement about adding some much-needed offense to this lineup, but nothing proposed thus far matches the thought of adding a budding superstar to pair with Julio Rodriguez, and that is exactly what Mark Vientos would give Jerry Dipoto.