Mariners should be inspired by Garrett Crochet trade package with their starters

On Wednesday, the Boston Red Sox traded four high-quality prospects to the Chicago White Sox for left-handed ace Garrett Crochet. These prospects included two first-round draft picks in Kyle Teel and Braden Montgomery, Boston’s 11th-ranked prospect Chase Meidroth, and 14th-ranked prospect Wikelman Gonzalez.

Given the return the Red Sox received, the Seattle Mariners should be motivated to trade one of their starting pitchers.  

Last season, the Mariners reportedly shut down a trade to acquire first baseman Triston Casas from the Boston Red Sox for either Bryan Woo or Bryce Miller (and were said to have done the same this offseason with Luis Castillo). With George Kirby and Logan Gilbert leading the rotation next year and the Mariners hesitating to trade Woo and Miller, Castillo is a potential trade candidate. 

Castillo is signed through 2027 with a vesting option for 2028 and is owed $22,750,000 over the next three seasons. After an All-Star 2023 season, Castillo finished 11-12 with 1.8 bWAR in 175.1 innings pitched last year. He’s not a no.1, but he is still a solid starter for an interested MLB club. One roadblock to trading Castillo is the no-trade clause in his contract, which he can waive if he chooses. 

Within the last 24 hours, the Red Sox discussed sending Casas to Seattle for Castillo. This makes sense as Boston continues to upgrade its rotation, and Seattle seeks a long-term option at first base. While that rumor died down this week, other teams are interested in Luis Castillo. 

While the Mariners remain wary about trading a starting pitcher like Castillo, the interest from other Major League teams, coupled with the White Sox’s return for Crochet, should behoove them to make a deal if the right one comes.

It is an opportunity to add depth to a top-10 farm system and receive much-needed infield help. If Castillo is willing to waive his no-trade clause on a potential deal similar to what the Red Sox received, then the Mariners must pull the trigger. If they get a godfather offer for one of their other young starters, they might have to consider that, too, even though Jerry Dipoto has expressed hesitance there.

If two years of Crochet, who has only made 32 career starts, fetched the White Sox some of the best prospects in the game, imagine what 3-5 years of one of the M's cost-effective arms could get them.