Reds reportedly do not intend to trade Luis Castillo or Tyler Mahle

The latest Reds rumors suggest that Cincinnati will not be trading starting pitchers Luis Castillo or Tyler Mahle. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), the Cincinnati Reds will no longer reduce payroll and intend to keep their two starting pitchers.

Reds GM Nick Krall has gutted the team's roster and devastated the fanbase over the past few days. Cincinnati traded pitcher Sonny Gray to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday in exchange for a minor league pitcher, then the Reds unloaded Eugenio Suárez's contract to the Seattle Mariners along with fan-favorite Jesse Winker on Monday.

Latest Reds rumors suggest Cincinnati is done selling...for now.

The Cincinnati Reds fire sale appears to be over...for now. After reducing their current payroll to under $100M, the team has said it plans to focus on free agent additions with the hopes of improving the ball club heading into the 2022 season.

No one team in the National League Central sticks out as the odds-on favorite to win the division, though you'd have to assume that the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals are the leaders in the clubhouse.

""The Reds, rather than continue to reduce payroll, intend to keep right-handers Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle, and add free agents with some of the money they saved in various deals.""

- Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic

Despite, the subtractions, the Cincinnati Reds can make a strong case to be third in the division right now, ahead of the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates. A few key additions in the coming days/ weeks that help bolster the Reds roster could greatly affect where they finish among their division rivals this season.

Luis Castillo, according to MLB Trade Rumors, is expected to make $7.6M this season. Fellow starting pitcher Tyler Mahle is estimated to take home $5.6M. Despite losing Sonny Gray, with Castillo and Mahle atop the rotation and the influx of young talent looking to debut in 2022, the Reds still have a very strong group of starters.

The Brewers, with reigning Cy Young-winner Corbin Burnes, probably have the best starting rotation in the division. Alongside Burnes are Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta. The Crew also have Adrian Houser and Eric Lauer in their starting rotation.

These Reds rumors should bring some comfort to the Cincinnati faithful, though the bitterness brought on by trading Gray, Winker, and Suárez will remain for some time. But winning cures all, and hopefully, with Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle in a Cincinnati Reds uniform, this team can win some games in 2022.