Mariners Rumors: Corbin Burnes signing could open door for Luis Castillo trade

For years, the Seattle Mariners have sat on one of the deepest and most talented starting rotations in all of baseball. One through five, they've been absolutely stacked, but up until recently, they've also been entirely unwilling to deal from their surplus.

It seems that the tides are beginning to shift in this regard, as the Mariners are "not hanging up" on phone calls surrounding three-time All-Star Luis Castillo. According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Mariners are not simply looking to dump Castillo's contract, but rather they're looking to only move him in a trade that would immediately make their team better.

The lack of desperation on Seattle's side to see a deal come together should put them in the driver's seat here. Two clubs with hopes of contending in 2025 both just recently missed out on Corbin Burnes, so the desperation is likely going to be coming from their end in trade discussions.

Two playoff hopefuls emerge as perfect Luis Castillo trade fits

The minute Burnes signed his long-term deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, two teams became ideal fits for Castillo in a trade: the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays.

The Giants and Blue Jays were widely reported as the frontrunners to sign Burnes, but they were both left reeling after he elected to sign with another NL West hopeful. Now, a discussion with Seattle needs to be happening immediately if they're going to adequately pivot away from Burnes.

Making things even more perfect is that each of these two teams have pieces that would be of interest to the Mariners. Castillo's contract, which doesn't expire until the 2028 season, is a bit of a hefty price tag, but if the Mariners are willing to eat some of it, they can boost a potential trade return so the acquiring team doesn't get completely stuck with that payroll hit.

What could the Blue Jays offer the Mariners in a Luis Castillo trade?

Starting with the Blue Jays, Will Wagner is an obvious fit for the Mariners. The infielder (who is the son of Hall of Fame hopeful Billy Wagner), was only just acquired by Toronto at the 2024 trade deadline, but he's full of upside that makes him a perfect fit in the AL West. Wagner has a high-contact bat and possesses the defensive ability to bounce all around the infield.

In the first 24 games of his big league career, the 26-year-old recorded eight extra-base hits with 11 RBI, eight runs scored, a .305 batting average, and a .788 OPS. His minor league track record is lengthy and shows that he's got a ton of plate discipline as well as a slap-hitting profile that makes him almost a Luis Arraez-type player, with more versatility and power.

With the Mariners' desperate need at basically every spot on the infield dirt, Wagner is a great fit. Of course, the Blue Jays would have to include more than just Wagner in a package, but he's a talented infielder, which is exactly what Seattle is seeking.

What could the Giants offer the Mariners in a Luis Castillo trade?

Moving over to the Giants, they're still dangling a first baseman in trade talks that makes all the sense in the world for the Mariners. Back in November, the Mariners were tied to LaMonte Wade Jr., a first baseman/corner outfielder who SF may move on from this winter.

Buster Posey is looking to have his lineup in 2025 consist more of everyday bats rather than platoon ones, which is why Wade is on the trade block. He's a left-handed bat who has historically been "just okay" against same-handed pitching.

Wade, 31, has 20-home run potential, but his power fell off this past season. The six-year veteran hit just eight home runs through 117 games, posting a .260 average and .761 OPS along the way. His 121 OPS+ still put him a cool 21 percent better than league-average, which is nothing to scoff at, so there's a pretty clear fit on the Mariners.

It remains to be seen which way the Mariners will end up going this offseason. One thing that is clear: they have some of the top starters in the game and they can afford to trade one away for legitimate offensive upgrades to their 26-man roster. Castillo is the oldest of the bunch, but he's also got a very long track record of consistency that speaks for itself at this point.