Cincinnati Reds fans could be witnessing the end of an era on Wednesday.
That’s the day of Luis Castillo‘s next start.
However, given the dynamics of the trade market, it could very well be his last one with a Reds uniform.
In fact, there is a non-zero chance he doesn’t even make that start, in the specific case he gets traded before taking the ball that day.
The Reds are not going anywhere in 2022 and it’s hard to see them being competitive next year, too, so the best course of action under that thinking would be maximizing Castillo’s value by dealing him to another organization before this year’s August 2 deadline.
“The Reds are sticking with a 6-man rotation, at least for now, David Bell said. Luis Castillo will start either Tuesday or Wednesday. If Wednesday, could be his last start as a Red,” The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans tweeted.
The Reds are sticking with a 6-man rotation, at least for now, David Bell said. Luis Castillo will start either Tuesday or Wednesday. If Wednesday, could be his last start as a Red
— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) July 22, 2022
His Reds Tenure May Be Coming To An End
Castillo has been with the Reds during his entire major league tenure.
He accumulated a good 3.62 ERA over parts of six seasons, having made his MLB debut in 2017.
In 2022, he is performing like an ace: in 13 starts and 78 frames, he has an incredible 2.77 ERA, the best mark of his career.
The Reds started a rebuild process before this season by trading or failing to re-sign some key players.
They haven’t found a trade partner for Castillo yet because they consider him a rotation cornerstone.
If they aren’t going to field a competitive team this year or next, however, trading him is the best thing they can do.
Several contenders are said to be interested in his services, from the two New York teams to the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Let’s see what the market has in store for him and the Reds.
NEXT: MLB Insider Reveals Latest Luis Castillo Trade Rumors