Reds rumors: Luis Castillo drawing interest from the Yankees

As we inch closer to the trade deadline, the Reds rumors are sure to pick up. The latest rumor has the New York Yankees interested in Luis Castillo.

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we’re sure to start seeing all kinds of Reds rumors. This is especially true this season with the Cincinnati Reds having multiple players entering free agency next season. However, the latest rumor has the New York Yankees targeting Luis Castillo.

Chris Moore of CBS Radio Sports Network suggests that Yankees are targeting the Reds’ ace. Castillo has emerged as the best pitcher on Cincinnati’s roster this season with a record of 7-2 and a 2.56 ERA in 16 starts.

Now, first let me just say that I believe the report. However, I don’t see any way that the Reds move on from Luis Castillo at this point in his career. The Reds have been searching for a bonafide ace ever since Johnny Cueto was traded to the Kansas City Royals in 2014. Castillo has all the makings of a top-level starting pitcher and is under team control until 2023.

Moore suggests that it will take a lot of young talent in order to acquire Castillo’s services. Let me be more direct, it’ll take an enormous haul and then some in order to pry Luis Castillo away from the Cincinnati Reds.

The Yankees’ farm system does rank quite high. According to MLB Pipeline, New York’s minor league prospects come in at No. 6. However, that ranking was put together before the promotion of Gleyber Torres and the trade of Justus Sheffield. Estevan Florial is the team’s only Top 50 prospect currently in the Yankees’ minor league system.

If this same trade possibility were on the table two years ago, I think the Reds would be all in. This season, however, has a different vibe to it. Bob Castellini and the Reds front office seem confident that they can bring a winner to Cincinnati in the near future. You can’t do that if you ship off your best starting pitcher in exchange for minor league talent.

Castillo is the type of player that you build your pitching staff around. His fastball touches the upper 90s, he’s got one of the most deceptive changeups in the game, and he hasn’t even reached arbitration eligibility yet. It’s hard to see Castillo going anywhere.

Again, I’m not doubting these latest Reds rumors, but I don’t think Dick Williams or Nick Krall will engage in a conversation with Brian Cashman that involves Luis Castillo. There’s a few players on the Reds roster that untouchable, and I think Castillo is one of those players. Rest easy Reds fans, I don’t see this materializing into much of anything.