LA Angels: 3 reasons to pursue a Luis Castillo trade

Argument over Bauer

Luis Castillo is very good, but is he more worth acquiring than Trevor Bauer? I would say yes. Although he will cost some of the Angels best prospects to acquire, he will be much more cost effective for the Angels which would benefit them greatly. The Pujols contract, although it is almost over, would make adding Trevor Bauer’s rumored $30 million or more tough to swallow. In some circles, Luis Castillo’s 2020 was viewed as better than Trevor Bauer’s which there is definitely a case for.

While Trevor Bauer’s ERA was 1.73, his FIP and xFIP were 2.88 and 3.25 respectively, Castillo on the other hand had a less impressive ERA of 3.21 but his FIP and xFIP were better than Bauer’s with a 2.65 FIP and a 2.82 xFIP. Luis Castillo also has been a better pitcher over the last few years than Trevor Bauer. Castillo was better by ERA, FIP, and xFIP in 2017 and 2019, while also being comparable to Bauer’s 2020 National League Cy Young campaign. Castillo is a year younger and will be much cheaper for the next three years and should be at least comparable to Bauer statistically.

Luis Castillo has gotten better each and every year in the big leagues and that trend is showing no signs of stopping. Castillo has had the privilege of working with Derek Johnson, Caleb Cotham, and Driveline Baseball guru Kyle Boddy in Cincinnati. If he can use some of his knowledge to help other pitchers in Anaheim, that’s even more of a plus. The Angels are not among the most analytical teams in the sport, but that could change with someone who knows the ins and outs.