Mariners GM throws wrench into Luis Castillo trade rumors with recent comments

With Seattle's offseason consisting of little more than rumors, it makes sense that the latest commotion is about a potential deal that would ship Luis Castillo off to a new home, given the current demand for starting pitching talent and his relatively pricey salary for the remainder of his contract.

But the latest comments by the front office could reflect how apprehensive they are about getting rid of their ace.

In a conversation on MLB Network Radio, general manager Justin Hollander had the following to say when asked about trading Castillo for Triston Casas from the Red Sox or prospect Coby Mayo from the Orioles:

"I'll let you guys tell me what you like better. I love Luis Castillo. Luis Castillo's an awesome pitcher, he's an awesome teammate, he fits our environment really well. I'll let you guys decide whether you like one of those (players) better or whether you just like having Luis Castillo pitch every five days for the Mariners."

Comments by baseball executives can often be cryptic and can be difficult to decipher whether they're telling the truth. On one hand, Hollander could be doing his part to drive up the perceived price of Castillo to maximize the team's return when they inevitably do trade him this offseason. On the other hand, he could be providing his genuine thoughts on the value that he brings to the M's.

Given the state of the current rotation and the roster's overall payroll, it's a little hard to believe that the Mariners believe Luis Castillo is worth $24.15 million per year. Of the team's five starters, his rWAR of 1.8 was the lowest, even behind Bryan Woo, who pitched 50 fewer innings. He was also the highest-paid player by a considerable margin, nearly doubling Julio's $12.19 million salary. Given the Mariners' perennial payroll problems, shedding $24 million a year could pave the way for additional investment into free agent bats.

The search for the players necessary for an infield retool is still ongoing. The team hasn't done much to patch up the holes in the lineup but trading away at least one of their prized starting pitchers seems like a necessary step to get there. They likely won't cough up the money necessary to acquire a standout free agent (it's not like there are many dazzling infielders anyway) and they don't have any position players they can afford to trade either.

If they're as adamant as they seem about retaining the younger arms like Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Bryce Miller, Castillo will have to be the one to don a new uniform in 2025.