The New York Mets have had a busy offseason, but they can’t fix all the issues they’ll have this season until they see games begin to play out live.
Though they’ve done a lot of work to revamp their rotation, the Mets can’t be sure that all their arms will have productive seasons. Sean Manaea just had a breakout in his early 30s, Frankie Montas had a near-five ERA last season, and Clay Holmes hasn’t started a game in six years.
If midseason arrives and the Mets aren’t getting the results they desire, a blockbuster trade seems all but inevitable. This team has too much invested not to go full-throttle after a World Series in 2025.
On Thursday, Andrew Tredinnick of NorthJersey.com predicted that the Mets would swing a midseason blockbuster trade with the Seattle Mariners, landing three-time All-Star Luis Castillo to bolster a struggling starting rotation.
“As attrition sets in on the Mets’ rotation and Paul Blackburn occupying one of the last spots, the Mets front office makes a major move, acquiring Luis Castillo from the Mariners and giving away Drew Gilbert and Blade Tidwell in the package,” Treddinick wrote.
Gilbert and Tidwell are consensus top-10 prospects in the Mets system–the former a talented outfielder and the latter an up-and-coming starting pitcher. They’d be tough to part ways with, but often, the trade deadline can make a team more desperate than they are before the season starts.
Plus, Castillo is a prize worth paying a premium for. He’s 31, has a healthy track record, and can strike out 200-plus batters if he’s at his peak. He could even step into ace duties if the Mets really needed him to.
