This Yankees-Reds trade package could land Luis Castillo after down year

Who’s ready to go through the random 12-hour offseason period where it really feels like the New York Yankees are about to pull off a Luis Castillo trade … again?! Except with legitimate sources this time!

There were certainly points during the 2021 season where we were thanking our lucky stars that Brian Cashman didn’t listen to the mob and risk it all for Castillo, surrendering Gleyber Torres+ as we commanded him to consider.

For a few months at the top of the campaign, Castillo … stunk, though he’d eventually rebound and reach respectable levels — 3.98 ERA, 3.75 FIP, a league-leading 75 walks, 192 Ks in 187.1 innings pitched.

Considering Castillo was coming off a shortened season, it’s very impressive he made it through nearly 190 innings relatively unscathed and got stronger as the year plowed on. That said, we don’t think a trade package would begin with an established MLB star 24-and-under this time around (though, uh, Torres might be involved after all this time).

Funny how things change.

This time around, the Cincinnati Reds are making no secret of their desire to shop as much high-profile talent as they can get their hands off. Lefty Wade Miley has already been dumped free of charge to the Cubs, and Tucker Barnhart went to the Tigers the second the offseason technically began. Sonny Gray’s likely next, but we don’t want anything to do with that papaya.

Is now the time to entertain a Castillo trade? He’s more available than ever, he’s got one fewer year of control attached than last year (only under contract through 2023), and he backslid ever so slightly.

Probably a surer thing than Justin Verlander, eh?

This Yankees-Reds Luis Castillo trade package could work.

Safe to say there’s at least a version of this trade that includes Torres — and after all our grousing last year, that’s pretty hilarious.

We’ll be building a package without him, but just want to acknowledge that reality for the sake of giggles.

With a glut of top shortstop talent in the Bronx and a Cincy team desperate for young, controllable (read: cheap) talent everywhere, here’s what we’re pitching:

• Oswald Peraza
• Luis Gil
• Ken Waldichuk
• And, yes, Clint Frazier — but only as the fourth piece!!

You really got yourself ready for an “Andújar and Frazier” offer. Yes, you did. You did, it’s OK. You don’t have to lie.

Truth be told, no serious Yankee fan has uttered those two names consecutively in four years, other than to say, “Hey, you know who’s been stunningly disappointing? Andújar and Frazier.”

We’re tossing the beleaguered outfielder in here as the fourth part of this trade just to be kind and facilitate his road out of town — the meat of the package involves Peraza, Baseball America’s No. 2 Yankees prospect, and Gil/Waldichuk, two top-10 pitching options (Gil’s No. 4, per MLB Pipeline).

It’s not quite “Pre-2021 Gleyber Torres and MORE!” but Castillo’s not quite the same guy, either. Any chance this gets done? Or is it “Volpe or bust,” regardless of the current context?

Yankees: Power ranking shortstop options for 2022 NYY roster

The New York Yankees need to find a new shortstop who isn't named Gleyber Torres or Gio Urshela. We can help with that, potentially.