NEWSLETTER
The best part of any meal is the main course. And in this offseason, that’s undoubtedly Kyle Tucker … the best player the Chicago Cubs have had in almost a decade. HOWEVER, everyone loves a little dessert. And that may yet be coming in the form of a trade for an impact starting pitcher.
Cubs Still Trying to Trade for an Impact Starter?
Take it away, Bruce:
"The Cubs are working on a big deal for a starting pitcher right now."
Could more moves be on the horizon 👀 pic.twitter.com/3jDk2ZClNg— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) December 13, 2024
Here’s the pull quote from that quick hit on Marquee:
“There are other trades to be made. And the Cubs are working on a big deal for a starting pitcher right now. That’s their concentration. So if you’re a Cubs fan right now you should be excited….they’re working on getting a starting pitcher (muffled) for the rotation.”
Now, I can’t quite tell if Bruce Levine was as careful with his words there as he probably intended. I know he said that the Cubs “are working on a big deal for a starting pitcher,” but the way it was delivered sounded more general than specific. As in: “The Cubs are still in the market to trade for AN impact starting pitcher.” Not: “The Cubs are currently working on a specific trade for THIS starting pitcher.” Even still.
The bottom line is that the Cubs are in still the market for an impact starter and there are plenty of impact arms available (even after Garrett Crochet was dealt). For example, there’s Sandy Alcantara, Dylan Cease, and, of course, the originators of this entire rumor class as it relates to the Cubs: The Seattle Mariners. And to that end, an update from out of Seattle.
That, my friends, is Adam Jude (a local Mariners beat writer with the Seattle Times) saying that the Cubs still feel like a player for Luis Castillo, who is a clear fit for the Cubs. And also one we’ve discussed before.
Just over a week ago, David Kaplan reported that the Cubs are “involved in trade talks with the … Mariners on Luis Castillo.” So that’s two distinct local reporters (one from Seattle, one from Chicago) connecting the Cubs and Mariners together on a potential deal for Luis Castillo. All wrapped up in a Bruce Levine bow of the Cubs remaining in the trade market for an impact starter.
Setting Castillo, specifically, aside for a moment, this makes sense, right? We had ALREADY committed ourselves to the belief that the Cubs could stand to add an impact starter this offseason, but now that they’ve got Tucker – and for only one year guaranteed – the need to push in for 2025 is even greater. So go out and get someone to make it count. Making it work after having traded Isaac Paredes is a different story (surely the Cubs aren’t planning to trade Nico Hoerner now, right?).
But also, yes, Luis Castillo is a solid target.
Luis Castillo
Here’s what I had to say about him the last time he came up:
Last season, Luis Castillo, 31, earned a 3.64 ERA over 30 starts (175.1 IP). He had very solid strikeout (24.3%) and walk (6.5%) rates and was middling on contact management, but overall perfectly effective and valuable. As he has been throughout most of his career.
Some stats/facts since Luis Castillo???s first full season in 2018:
1,140.2 IP (6th most in MLB)
22.0 fWAR (8th most in MLB)
3.59 ERA (17th, min. 750 IP)
47.7% GB% (9th min. 750 IP)And next season, STEAMER is projecting a 3.63 ERA over 31 starts and 184.0 IP. That???s pretty damn good for a projection, which is, by its very nature, conservative.
But that???s not to say there aren???t warts. There are.
For one, Castillo???s velocity last season continued a gradual decline that began in 2020:
2020: 97.6 MPH
2021: 97.3 MPH
2022: 97.1 MPH
2023: 96.4 MPH
2022: 95.7 MPHHe???s down two full clicks from his peak, and at 31 years old, you don???t really expect that to recover (insert your jokes here about him fitting into the Cubs rotation even better with his lower velocity).
There???s also the fact that he???s due $22.75M over each of the next three seasons ($68.25M total) plus a conditional option for 2028 at $25M depending on the health and innings total Castillo reaches in 2027. It???s not a crippling contract, but it is pricey.
Even despite some of those warts at the end, there’s no doubt that Luis Castillo would look mighty good on the 2025 Chicago Cubs. So stay tuned, because there’s a lot more offseason to come.
