Why the Mariners traded for Luis Castillo and what it means for teams pursui atlanta braves game worn jersey ng Juan Soto

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The Mariners have toppled the first major domino of the 2022 trade deadline, landing Reds ace Luis Castillo. The 29-year-old, regarded as the 1A to Frankie Montas' 1B among deadline pitching targets, recouped quite a haul for the Reds, with Seattle's No. 1 prospect, Noelvi Marte, being the key piece.

The deal is huge for a Mariners team that desperately needed help on the back end of the rotation. While Robbie Ray has been up and down as the reigning Cy Young winner and Logan Gilbert has been their most reliable pitcher, the other spots in the rotation have been inconsistent. Castillo gets the Mariners thrMLB Cooperstown Collectionee-deep as they try to end their 20-year playoff drought.

TRADE GRADES: Mariners add top rotation target, but at a high prospect price to Reds

That's why Jerry Dipoto made this move for Seattle. ThMLB Sweatshirts|ere's no use in holding onto prospects when those players don't get you into the postseason this year. The Mariners don't have the benefit of thinking about their future. They need to end that embarrassing streak now.

Julio Rodriguez's breakout campaign, which will likely earn hi Carlos Correa Twins Jerseys m Rookie of the Year honors, has Seattle fans buzzing. That, in conjunction with a near-playoff berth last season, has the Mariners feeling like their window has been thrown wide open. They're currently fourth in the American League standings and second in the wild-card race behind the Blue Jays.

But it's going to be a tight race, and the Mariners have had late-season collapses before.

Why did the Mariners sell the farm for Luis Castillo now?

The Mariners don't have the luxury of waiting for their prospects to develop. The longest active playoff drought in North American sports is a black atlanta braves world series hoodie eye on the franchise, and they have to break it by any means necessary. While Marte, Levi Stoudt, Edwin Arroyo and Andrew Moore is a haul for Cincinnati, the Reds aren't looking to win now. They're looking ahead to the future.

Whether Castillo is worth that type of trade package is up for debate, but if he tips the scales in a few games down the stretch, it's a short-term win for Seattle. Showing Rodriguez that the team is able to build around him and strengthening the rotation with a player with another year of control is big for Dipoto.

Last season, the Mariners landed Tyler Anderson and Diego Ca atlanta braves chipper jones jersey stillo at the deadline, giving up several prospects and Kendall Graveman in the process. Those moves were also made in pursuit of a playoff berth. The Mariners will hope for a different result this time around.

Another factor: What were other teams offering? Teams like the Yankees and Dodgers were also reportedly in on Luis Castillo, and they both have deep farm systems. The Yankees reportedly had prized prospect Anthony Volpe off the table, per Joel Sherman. The Dodgers are likely in deep talks for Juan Soto that may have tied up the likes of Diego Cartaya and Bobby Miller.

If that's the case, the time was now for the Mariners to pull the trigger.

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What does this mean for the Juan Sot atlanta braves tom glavine jersey o sweepstakes?

For starters, the Mariners are out. Marte would have had to be the focal point of any deal to land Soto, and either Stoudt or Emerson Hancock would have had to be iMLB Home and Office Decornvolved as well.

Now, the Dodgers, Cardinals and Padres are the three most likely Soto suitors. The Mets and Yankees are also dark horses.

The report indicating that the Yankees took Volpe off the table doesn't necessarily mean he is being saved for a possible Soto deal. (Brian Cashman is a notorious prospect-hugger.) But the Dodgers have Cartaya in play. The Cardinals have Jordan Walker and Masyn Winn, not to mention Nolan Gorman, whose name has also been floated. And the Padres have James Wood and Eguy Rosario, along with MLB talents MacKenzie Gore and C.J. Abrams.

The Mets also have No. 1 prospect Francisco Alvarez, plus the potential willingness to take on one of the Nationals' questionable contracts. Any amount helps when you're talking to Nationals ownership right now.

MORE: MLB trade deadline predictions for 2022

What does the Mariners' rotation look like now?

Castillo arguably becomes the ace of the Mariners' rotation as soon as he steps on the mound, but they may well slot him in behind Ray and Gilbert. The big question: Who gets bumped from the rotation? The Mariners will probably end up sticking with their five-man rotation, with either Marco Gonzales or Chris Flexen getting bumped. 

Gonzales is coming off a nice outing preceded by two bad ones, whereas Flexen has been solid for Seattle since June. There's also a possibility that they pull back on George Kirby, who has seen some tough starts inUnder Armour the past few months.

Will that be enough to compete down the stretch or even win a playoff series? The back end of the rotation is still suspect, and Ray has been inconsistent. At the very least, though, the Mariner bats should be able to rally behind Castillo in a way the Reds didn't.

The Mariners probably won't take any additional big swings at the deadline. Their bullpen has been in surprisingly good shape post-All-Star Break, and they don't have the assets to chase another sta vintage atlanta braves sweatshirt r. A team that entered this season with the No. 2 farm system in baseball, per MLB Pipeline, is now very middle-of-the-pack. The Mariners have to consider that as well.

But, again, it's about the here and now. Castillo should help them make a playoff push. For Dipoto, that has to be the priority.