Reds considering trading wrong ace is Yankees fans’ nightmare

The Yankees could really use Reds ace Luis Castillo if they’re willing to blow it up, but oh…oh no. They’re trying to blow it up with…Sonny Gray.

Good News: Remember one of our dream scenarios for the trade market? With very few impactful options, perhaps the Reds realize that, without Trevor Bauer, they have neither the offense nor the rotation to compete, and get to trading?

Bad News: They’re considering it, but they want to sell Sonny Gray instead of Luis Castillo. Remember that guy?!

Brian Cashman typically does his best work through shrewd and sneaky trades rather than hitting on big-money free agent signings, but there’s been a dearth of excellent trade options in recent years, since most young superstars on bad teams get locked up to cheap extensions to serve as the “foundation”.

Castillo was the one remaining elite young player floating on a bad team — until the Reds got good, surrounding him with a resurgent Gray and Bauer. If everything broke right this offseason, though, perhaps Cincinnati would be embarrassed enough by their postseason blanking to realize the offense wasn’t only not championship level, but it wasn’t particularly close.

Unfortunately, Cincinnati appears to have opened their eyes and offered Gray instead, who has long-term security on a recently-signed extension attached to him. Even though they’re open for business, they’re specifically not open for our business. Not great!

In a vacuum, we would love to be in play for a whippy righty who just whiffed 72 in 56 innings, and has a team option attached that could keep him in place through 2022. Unfortunately, Gray is not the kind of person who would want to be dangled in this direction.

Honestly, this’ll have you wondering whether the Yankees will push Matt Blake front and center and attempt to pull off the old, “We’ve changed! This time will be different!” complete with the John Cusack boombox.

Even if they were able to sell Gray on a new regime, though, they’d never be able to sell the fanbase on him. And imagine trading for Gray and having it bomb again?

He’s much more likely to end up as Mike Trout’s latest new addition than he is to try the Bronx on for size yet again.

They reward smiling in Hollywood. Probably a better fit, after all.

I’ve said all along that, whatever came of Gray after he left the Yankees, it was still the correct move to cut bait on this irrevocably broken fit.

It’s very annoying to see his name crop up in this situation, though, one in which the Reds are so close to making an ideal decision for the Yankees’ future. It’s like going to the kitchen to get a piece of pie on Thanksgiving, but instead your mom hands you a photograph of a flan.

Almost. But it’s not what you wanted, and you can’t eat it.

3 pitchers Yankees should absolutely overpay for in a trade

The New York Yankees need pitching. It's not easy to come by. So general manager Brian Cashman should overpay for these arms in any trade.