2 things Reds GM Nick Krall got right by trading Luis Castillo to the Mariners and 1 thing he got wrong

Late last night, the Cincinnati Reds traded starting pitcher Luis Castillo to the Seattle Mariners. The transaction ended weeks of speculation about whether or not Castillo would be traded at the deadline and where the right-hander would ultimately end up.

In return, the Reds got a haul of top prospects. Seattle's top prospect, shortstop Noelvi Marte, was part of the deal. So was shortstop Edwin Arroyo and right-handed pitchers Levi Stoudt and Andrew Moore.

There was legitimate fear throughout Reds Country prior to the trade, as so many fans thought that Cincinnati would botch this deal. To be honest, Reds GM Nick Krall hit a home run. Let's look at what Krall got right, shall we?

Reds trade with the Mariners for Luis Castillo did not include Mike Moustakas.

Relax, Reds Country. While Mike Moustakas is still on the Cincinnati roster (for now), he wasn't part of the trade for Luis Castillo. It was critically important for Nick Krall and the Reds front office not to cheapen their return for Castillo by including Moustakas.

Shedding Moustakas' contract would've been a breath of fresh air for the Castellini family. But Castillo was the Redlegs' best trade chip at this year's deadline. Adding Moustakas to the trade would've been like having a 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card and folding it in half before the auction.

Moose has been an utter disaster since signing with the Reds back in 2019. The veteran third baseman now looks to be a step slow on the field and can't catch up to the fastball in the batters' box. Moustakas' four-year/$64M contract may have officially passed Eric Milton's free agent deal as the worst in franchise history.

The Cincinnati Reds are not building for next season, but for 2024 and beyond. Unfortunately for the Cincinnati faithful, the 2023 campaign will be more about Joey Votto's swan song than winning baseball games. The Reds did the right thing by not including Moustakas in the trade with the Mariners.