ESPN’s MLB insider poured gallons of cold water on “reports” that Luis Castillo had been traded to the New York Yankees.
The New York Yankees have enjoyed a rest after their news-filled day this past Friday. General manager Brian Cashman re-signed stud infielder DJ LeMahieu, secured former AL Cy Young-winner Corey Kluber to a one-year deal and settled with a bevy of their players to avoid arbitration. As is the case with the Yankees, sometimes they’re never truly done.
One name that has been linked to the Yankees for quite some time is Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo, who just so happened to settle with his team for $4.2 million on Friday. But, there is a belief that the Reds will trade the right-hander, considering they’d get quite a haul for him, as he has three years of team-control remaining.
On Sunday, there were a variety of “reports” circulating on social media that the Yankees had completed a trade with the Reds for Castillo. In situations like this, it’s best to look towards trusted reporters with a blue checkmark on their Twitter account. ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan poured gallons of cold water on those “reports,” saying not to trust people who “consistently get things wrong.”
Castillo is not a Yankee…yet
Passan wasn’t the only person in the know to shut down these rumors. Reds general manager Nick Krall called the unsubstantiated reports “completely false,” and that he intends to have Castillo on the roster for the 2021 season. While a trade isn’t happening now, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future.
Castillo pitched in 12 games in the 2020 truncated season, where he recorded a 3.21 ERA,1.23 WHIP and 89 strikeouts in 70.0 innings of work. Castillo got a crack at pitching in a postseason game, where he struck out seven batters and surrendered one earned run in 5.1 innings of work in Cincinnati’s 5-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
So there you have it, Luis Castillo isn’t heading to the Bronx just yet. Could it happen down the road? Sure. But it’s not happening right now. Follow reporters like Passan, because he’ll let you know if a trade is official or is near completion.