11 Mets starting pitcher trade candidates ranked from the bottom to the top

1) NY Mets trade target Luis Castillo

You’re not surprised are you? Luis Castillo has been the buzziest name for the Mets and the trade market for starting pitchers. Traded four times already in his career (one more than Montas with three trades to his name), this winter is the prime time for the Reds to move him.

Castillo reaches free agency after the 2023 season so those two years of control are pretty important for Cincinnati to capitalize on. Another element to like about any trade with the Reds: they aren’t exactly rebuilding. This is an organization that would probably have at least some level of interest in the expendable big league trade candidates on the Mets roster. New York may be able to acquire him without doing any damage to their farm.

What helps Castillo stand out more than others on this list is his consistency at staying healthy. Since 2018, he has made 31-33 starts in each full big league season. In 2020, when there were only 60 games for each team, Castillo logged 12 starts. This was exactly what would be expected from the schedule and taking the mound every fifth day.

For this major reason, he’s number one on the list.

The Mets can take a chance on a veteran with a high salary or a younger kid possibly on the rise. Castillo seems to be right in the middle of both and with innings to back it up. Potentially about to step into his prime, a phone conversation between the Mets and Reds needs to happen as often as possible to get the deal done.