Will the Yankees pursuit of Juan Soto prevent them from trading for Reds' starter Luis Castillo?

In his latest publication for FanSided, baseball insider Robert Murray tells us that Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jose Quintana is drawing interest from the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees.

While his 3-5 win-loss record may not reflect it, Quintana is having a fine season in the Steel City. The left-hander has a 3.70 ERA in 19 starts. His $2M contract will undoubtedly be appealing as well.

But so much of the latest rumors surrounding Cincinnati Reds pitcher Luis Castillo has connected him with the Bronx Bombers. Are the Yankees actually shifting their focus? If so, why?

Will the Yankees pursuit of Juan Soto prevent them from acquiring Reds' RHP Luis Castillo?

Do the New York Yankees have the prospect capital to trade for Luis Castillo? Absolutely. Oswald Peraza, Jasson Dominguez, Ken Waldichuk, and others are very highly regarded prospects. It's likely that the Cincinnati Reds would require at least two of any team's Top 10 prospects, and more, in order to make a deal for Castillo.

But maybe the Yankees are thinking bigger than just the Reds hurler. Perhaps New York has their sights set on Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto. After turning down a massive contract extension, the Nats have made the All-Star available in trade talks.

Murray mentioned the San Diego Padres as the favorites among rival executives to trade for Soto. But he also mentioned the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York Yankees among the teams who are likely to pursue Soto.

If the Yankees want Juan Soto, they can't have Luis Castillo. It's not a matter of money; the Yankees have plenty of that. But if you think the trade package for Castillo is going to bring a nice return, you might want to go ahead and double, or even triple it, if you're thinking about landing Soto.

Are the Yankees checking in on Jose Quintana as a way to bolster their starting rotation without sacrificing their top prospects? Will New York look to add Quintana and Castillo? There are any number of ways this discussion can go, but the New York Yankees have the prospect capital to make a trade for Juan Soto or Luis Castillo. Not both.