The Philadelphia Phillies have a solid start to the 2025 season, going 5-1 and sitting first in the NL East. Their starting rotation has been strong, with a combined 3-1 record, a 2.60 ERA, and a league-leading 48 strikeouts in 34.2 innings thrown. While the Phillies have five good starters (Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Christopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, and Ranger Suarez), the fifth member of that group is injured and slated to hit free agency following the season. The uncertainty surrounding his future with the organization may drive Philadelphia to deal him before the trade deadline.
Despite having Taijuan Walker and top prospect Andrew Painter available for depth, the Phillies may try to make a deal to strengthen their rotation. One possible candidate is Seattle Mariners ace Luis Castillo. Throughout his nine-year career, the three-time All-Star pitcher has been consistently effective. He has also had a solid start in 2025, going 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA and nine strikeouts in 12.0 innings pitched. While Seattle has not stated that they want to sell Castillo, they are only 3-4 early in the season. Furthermore, their beginning pitching was strong in 2024, with the top rotation ERA in baseball at 3.38.
Despite their solid rotation, the Mariners failed to make the playoffs last year because their offense was one of the worst in the league. They could look to trade Castillo to bring in some bats with potential.
Although Philadelphia’s farm system is middle-of-the-pack, seven of its top 10 prospects are hitters. If they decide to move on from Suarez, and Painter isn’t ready for the majors, they might look to Castillo to strengthen their rotation. The Phillies might utilize shortstop Aidan Miller, outfielder Justin Crawford, or catcher Eduardo Tait as the centerpiece of a possible trade.
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