LA Angels: 3 reasons to pursue a Luis Castillo trade

Luis Castillo is on the trade block — here is why the Angels should go after him.

Luis Castillo was one of the best pitchers of the 2020 season, and has been very good since 2017. He would instantly become the Angels best pitcher, and help solidify the Angels as serious contenders in a weakening AL West. Luis Castillo has been only becoming a better pitcher over the course of his four year career and should only continue to get better as he just turned 28 in mid-December. He has three years of major league control, which would make him a free agent after the 2023 season.

The Reds were rumored to be shopping 2019 All-Star Sonny Gray, and would be likely to trade Luis Castillo because of their shrinking payroll. Castillo could be a cost effective option for the Angels as he is only slated to make $4.4 million in 2021. As I stated before, Castillo has only been getting better throughout his career, he posted new career highs in K/9 and HR/9, while also lowering his BB/9 by 0.64 in 2020.

He struck out over 11 batters per nine in 2020 and has been improving on that number every year since he came into the league. He set career bests in FIP and xFIP with both of those numbers sub three in 2020. There are many reasons for the Angels to look into Luis Castillo but one of them is that Castillo will become the best pitcher for the Angels if acquired and that alone should be enough incentive for the Angels to look into his case, but he is also cost effective and is only becoming a better pitcher.  Castillo is young and extremely good, those types do not come onto the market very often and the pitching deprived Angels should be all over him this offseason.