The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the offseason with multiple vacancies in their starting rotation due to Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer reaching free agency.
While re-signing one or both of the aforementioned aces remains possible, the club is casting a wide net in their search for reinforcements. L.A.’s first move was signing Andrew Heaney to a one-year contract, who some evaluators believe is poised for a bounce-back season next year.
The Dodgers also have been linked to several starters on the trade market, including Cincinnati Reds right-handers Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray.
A few teams are said to have reached out to the Reds about Castillo’s potential availability, but he is unlikely to be traded this offseason, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:
The Reds’ Luis Castillo and Rockies’ Germán Márquez are doubtful to be moved, sources say.
It makes sense that the Dodgers and other clubs would engage in trade talks with the Reds over Castillo as he is one of the most promising pitchers in all of baseball on a team-friendly contract.
Castillo, 29 in December, is under control via salary arbitration for the next two seasons. The 2019 All-Star is coming off another solid season in which he posted a 3.98 ERA, 3.75 FIP and 1.36 WHIP with 192 strikeouts while accumulating 4.7 WAR over 187.2 innings pitched (33 starts).
With the Reds potentially entering another rebuild, they could trade Castillo this offseason for a haul of prospects or look to move him at next year’s deadline.
The club already has signaled they are in a cost-cutting mode after trading Tucker Barnhart to the Detroit Tigers and placing Wade Miley on waivers.
Dodgers reportedly had interest in Verlander before re-signing with Astros
In addition to Castillo, the Dodgers are believed to have explored the possibility of signing Justin Verlander to fortify their starting rotation. The future Hall of Famer is no longer an option, however, as he reportedly re-signed with the Houston Astros on a one-year contract.
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