Brandon Lowe Playing for the Tampa Bay Rays; CC by License 2.0
With a monumental offseason ahead in Major League Baseball, all eyes are on the free-agent class. With names like Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso, and Max Fried available, who could blame the majority of front offices for trying to sink their teeth in to options costing them nothing but cold, hard cash? However, trade rumors have run just as rampant as, if not more than, free-agent rumors. Young flamethrower ace Garrett Crochet and stud first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have been mock traded to nearly every team you can think of on national media outlets. However, let’s take a second to discuss some of the more underrated names that may find themselves on a different team come March 2025 through means of a trade.
Luis Castillo
Seattle Mariners Starting Pitcher
Jerry Dipoto works in mysterious ways. After acquiring Castillo from the Cincinnati Reds in 2022 in the Mariners' push for their postseason berth in 20 years, Dipoto finds himself potentially on the other end of that deal only two and a half years later.
Castillo has been nothing short of astounding for Seattle in his time as a Mariner thus far. When first acquired at the 2022 deadline, he went 4-2 with a 3.17 ERA and tossed a gem of a Game 1 against the Blue Jays to win the wild card series. Castillo went 14-9 in the subsequent seasons while posting a 3.34 in 2023, and a 3.64 in 2024 (despite an 11-12 record).
What holds the Mariners back is their anemic offense, which developed in 2023 and 2024. It was an offense that some would say cost them postseason berths in those seasons. It’s always been heavily rumored that the Mariners would look to part with one of their arms in their elite starting rotation, but usually, the names as bait are Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, or Bryce Miller. Castillo’s name has never been mentioned in that territory, not until recently.
In theory, it makes sense for Castillo to be the guy to move, as he is most likely to phase out of his prime the quickest compared to the rest of the young arms. However, Castillo is still capable of several good seasons of production, enough to hopefully net the Mariners the offense package they would need.
While Dipoto has currently thrown cold water on the idea that they would trade Castillo, there is nothing Jerry loves more than to pull off a trade, so you can never truly rule anything out. You could find good fits in contenders across both leagues. The Orioles have been filled with great bats, both at the major and minor league levels. Who’s to say Castillo couldn’t be the one they pair a great top-end free agency acquisition with to completely revamp their starting rotation? The Diamondbacks could also be an intriguing option, as they led all of baseball in a variety of offensive categories and still missed the postseason. Perhaps they could spare some of their offensive firepower in exchange for Seattle’s pitching firepower.
With the Mariners’ need for offense becoming so desperate, don’t be surprised if Castillo becomes the piece moved to fill that weakness.
Brandon Lowe
Tampa Bay Rays Second Baseman
The Rays have consistently operated in a farm-like fashion. They develop young prospects, platoon options, and “lost causes”, into productive MLB players and pitchers and proceed to sell them off for some other team to reap the benefits of their prime, receiving the payment of future prospects in return. This year feels no different with the likes of Yandy Diaz and Pete Fairbanks talked about consistently on the trade market. Yet, an option that sparks much more interest is 30-year-old Brandon Lowe.
The second baseman has been a Ray since 2018, and while showing potential in a limited role, he shined brightly in his breakout campaign in 2021. Lowe crushed 39 HRs and 99 RBIs that season, slashing a .247/.340/.863 to boot. Injuries plagued Lowe the following season in 2022, limiting him to just 8 HRs in 65 games played. However, since then, it looks as if you can lock Lowe in for 20 HRs, 50-60 RBIs, and a general OPS range of .770-.780 (assuming his health cooperates). That is a productive, middle to bottom of the order lefty bat that is right there for the taking, and one that would make a reasonable $10.5M in 2025. With Jose Caballero making waves and top prospect Carson Williams on the way, Lowe looks less and less likely to open the season with Tampa Bay.
The question then becomes, where does Lowe land? Any team could use his kind of production to contribute to an offense. The aforementioned Seattle Mariners surely wouldn’t mind having him in their lineup after how poorly Jorge Polanco turned out last season. The short porch in Yankee Stadium may be quite the fit, as New York could look for a way to replace Gleyber Torres. How about their Subway counterpart in the Mets? While Jose Iglesias was unreal, Lowe could be a good option in case Iglesias is unable to replicate his 2024 form. The Giants currently are lacking a proven second basemen on their roster, so perhaps San Francisco could make some sense as well.
If Lowe is to end up elsewhere, he should be a key contributor to a lineup, assuming his health does not interfere with him. There aren’t a lot of teams that would not, at the very least, consider bringing him in.
Luis Arraez
San Diego Padres First Baseman/Designated Hitter
It’s not often, perhaps not ever, that a back-to-back-to-back batting league title holder has been traded three separate times in that span, and yet, Luis Arraez may very well be on the move again. Acquired in May of 2024 from the Marlins (after being sent from Minnesota to Miami the previous season), Arraez performed very well for the Padres and was a key cog in their run to the NLCS, where they fell just short of beating LA.
The Padres are by no means tearing it down by potentially moving Arraez, as they will continue to be a competitive team for years to come, and likely a constant thorn in the side of the Dodgers. However, after the unfortunate passing of former owner Peter Seidler, the team budget for the Padres has become much less flexible, and with Arraez estimated to be making $13.7M in 2025, it may be a luxury San Diego cannot afford.
Arraez has more than earned such a payment, as he has hit for at least a .310 average from 2022-2024 (including 2023 where he hit .354), but his defensive shortcomings likely deter a team with the budget of the Padres from keeping him around, especially with the variety of middle infield talent present on the team and in the farm system.
This would once again lead Arraez to be on the move. Likely slated for a DH/1B type role, there are not as many fits for Arraez as one might think. The Seattle Mariners pop up here once again, as Arraez could be a perfect jump starter leadoff hitter for their struggling offense, and have a first base gap ever since the decline and eventual waive of Ty France. The Yankees could be a fit, as they look to replace both the position play of Anthony Rizzo and the leadoff hitter capability that Gleyber Torres provided. How about the Houston Astros? They have struggled to get productivity out of the first base position for a couple of seasons now, and have been burned by older free-agent signings like Jose Abreu. Perhaps they may want to opt for the sure-hitting talent of Arraez as opposed to taking a flyer on a free agent, given their budget is not the strongest either.
If Arraez does end up getting dealt, he would become a pure weapon for the lineup he would reside in. His shortcomings on defense are present, but when you can consistently hit above .300, that is a sacrifice you are willing to make. It will be curious to see who bites the bullet to bring Arraez aboard.
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