Reds: Abandoned offseason moves that could’ve saved 2021 roster

3. The Reds should have dealt Luis Castillo to the Yankees.

It seemed like the Cincinnati Reds would’ve been throwing in the towel on the 2021 season before it began had the team dealt its Opening Day starter to the New York Yankees this offseason. However, after seeing how poorly Luis Castillo has performed this season, Nick Krall and the Reds front office are probably wishing they’d made that trade.

The rumors this offseason suggested that both Castillo and Sonny Gray were on the trade block. Though nothing ever materialized, we were led to believe that Cincinnati and New York had preliminary discussions about a potential deal, but both parties seemed to overvalue their own players.

The Redlegs were said to be asking for Yankees’ shortstop Gleyber Torres in exchange for Castillo. Now, it seems as though both teams would’ve preferred to make that trade. Torres has rebounded after a slow start and his 99 OPS+, while below his career average, is trending in the right direction. Castillo, much like Torres, struggled early, but he seems to be returning to form.

However, even if you take Gleyber Torres out of the equation, there’s every reason to believe Cincinnati could have secured several minor league prospects, including Deivi Garcia, Oswald Peraza, and Clarke Schmidt.

Luis Castillo’s trade value has taken a major hit, and should the Yankees come looking to acquire La Piedra’s services before the July 30th trade deadline, Cincinnati’s bargaining power has certainly weakened.

Had Cincinnati parted ways with Luis Castillo this past winter, perhaps Tejay Antone, Tony Santillan, or even Nick Lodolo may already be in the team’s starting rotation. As it sits now, it’s questionable if Castillo will be back in the Queen City next season, as a potential July deal or offseason trade seems increasingly likely.