The Orioles could offer the Reds the best trade package for Luis Castillo

Don't look now, but the Baltimore Orioles are gaining ground in the exceedingly difficult American League East. The O's are just two games back of the last Wild Card spot in the AL.

But they would they really become buyers at the trade deadline? There are those who believe they will, including Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required) that Baltimore may be looking to upgrade their roster before August 2nd.

Undoubtedly, the Orioles would be targeting players who are controllable beyond the 2022 season, as Baltimore's window of contention is just beginning to open. Would the Baltimore Orioles really consider trading for Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo?

Orioles could offer the best trade package for Reds RHP Luis Castillo.

As far as teams who've shown interest in trading for Cincinnati Reds starter Luis Castillo, we've heard all the big names by now. The Los Angeles Dodger, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Mets. The rich get richer, right?

But what if the Baltimore Orioles were really interested in upgrading their rotation? Adding an arm like Castillo could fortify the O's pitching staff for the next five years. Oh, and by the way, the Orioles have perhaps the best farm system in all of baseball.

Grayson Rodriguez, Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser, DL Hall, and Jordan Westburg all rank among the Top 100 prospects in the game according to MLB Pipeline. Both Rodriguez and Henderson are Top 5.

Ken Rosenthal calls the likelihood of the Orioles landing a starting pitcher like Luis Castillo or Oakland's Frankie Montas low. But might the O's target a pitcher who's likely to command a little less in return? Maybe Tyler Mahle would be of interest to Baltimore.

Here's what we do know - the Cincinnati Reds, despite winning five straight games, are 21 games below .500 and 13.5 games back in the chase for the final Wild Card Spot. Had Cincinnati been healthy throughout the 2022 season, things might have been a bit different.

It's been said that no deal for Luis Castillo is imminent, nor should it be. The longer the Reds wait, the more teams, like the Orioles, may find themselves in position to buy at the trade deadline. Baltimore is an interesting team to watch, but I don't think they'll be in the running for Castillo's services.