Sources: Mariners close to acquiring RHP Castillo

The Seattle Mariners are finalizing a deal for star pitcher Luis Castillo of the Cincinnati Reds, sources advised ESPN’s Jeff Passan Friday evening.

Minor leaguers Noelvi Marte, Levi Stoudt, Edwin Arroyo and Dylan Moore are heading to Cincinnati within the deal, sources stated.

The Mariners, led by star rookie Julio Rodriguez, entered Friday’s motion 54-46, 11 video games behind the first-place Houston Astros within the AL West and holding onto the second wild-card spot.

Now, they’re set so as to add the most effective accessible arm forward of Tuesday’s commerce deadline, one who will be part of an already-solid rotation that features Robbie Ray and Logan Gilbert.

It will likely be an enormous pickup for a Mariners workforce that has not reached the postseason since 2001, the longest lively drought among the many 4 main North American professional sports activities leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL).

A 29-year-old right-hander, Castillo is 4-4 with a 2.86 ERA in 14 begins for the Reds this season and has a profession 3.62 ERA in six seasons, all with Cincinnati.

Castillo will not be eligible at no cost company till after the 2023 season, so the Mariners would have him for at the very least the remainder of this yr and all of subsequent.

Castillo has bounced again from a career-worst season in 2021, when he misplaced 16 video games and walked a league-high 75 batters. His changeup has been his finest pitch for many of his profession, however this yr, he’s really throwing his four-seam fastball extra, and doing so with a whole lot of success. Opponents have whiffed on 39% of their swings towards his four-seamer, the best charge of Castillo’s profession and the best of any pitcher within the majors (minimal 300 four-seamers thrown).

Castillo has a 1.38 ERA in 4 begins towards the AL this yr, second to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (0.69) amongst certified pitchers.

The Reds have been shifting veteran gamers for prospects for the reason that finish of the lockout earlier this yr. In March, they traded Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker to the Mariners, and on Thursday, they traded outfielder Tyler Naquin and reliever Phillip Diehl to the New York Mets.

Infielder Brandon Drury additionally may very well be moved earlier than Tuesday’s deadline, together with a number of Reds relievers.

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers contributed to this report.