4 reasons why Luis Castillo would be perfect for the Colorado Rockies

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58), pictured, Friday, March 18, 2022, at the baseball team’s spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz.Cincinnati Reds Photo Day March 18 0473 /

The Colorado Rockies surprised most of the baseball world in the last three weeks when they have made moves to make themselves a better team. The biggest move that they made was to sign Kris Bryant to a seven-year deal.

However, they still need some more to help them get into the postseason in 2022 but GM Bill Schmidt has indicated that if the Rockies are .500 or close to .500 around the trade deadline, he will be buying. If the Rockies are buyers in the next few months, there are a few players that the Rockies really should be looking at. One of them who should be at the top of the list is Cincinnati Reds ace Luis Castillo.

Cincinnati Reds ace Luis Castillo would be a perfect fit for the Colorado Rockies

On the surface, Colorado Rockies fans might think that the team doesn’t really need a starting pitcher. After all, it is Colorado’s strength. The Cincinnati Reds would not give up Luis Castillo for just anything, though.

But there are five reasons why the Colorado Rockies should trade for Reds ace Luis Castillo.

1) Luis Castillo would provide Colorado with much-needed rotation depth

While the Colorado Rockies rotation is the strength of their team, if they have an injury or two in 2022, they are going to be in a world of hurt.

Castillo, 29, would immediately become the team’s best starter above Germán Márquez. Castillo got no run support in 2021 (8-16 record in 2021) but he had an ERA of 3.98 in an MLB leading 33 starts. He had a 3.75 FIP, a 120 ERA+, and he walked 3.6 and struck out 9.2 batters per nine innings.

With him in the rotation, Chad Kuhl could become a long-man/spot starter in the bullpen and the Rockies would have a better rotation and a rotation with more depth.

Oct 1, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

2) Luis Castillo is a great groundball pitcher

As Colorado Rockies fans well know by now, groundball pitchers are the pitchers that pitch best in Colorado. Antonio Senzatela, Jon Gray, and Germán Márquez all flourished at Coors Field in recent years for that reason.

In fact, since 2019 among primary starters with at least 300 innings pitched, all three of them were in the top 17 of groundball pitchers.

In that same span, Luis Castillo has the second-highest groundball rate among all starters at 56.3 percent. That (as well as the third reason) would be two key factors into his success at Coors Field.

3) The Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies have made a few trades recently

The Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies know each other’s farm systems very well. The two teams have made two trades since November 2020 (and they also kept tossing Ashton Goudeau back and forth in 2021).

For the Rockies to get Castillo, they will have to part with some of their good prospects. The Rockies almost certainly would not entertain trading Zac Veen, Drew Romo, or Benny Montgomery (their top three prospects) but they may consider trading some of their other prospects/former top prospects (Peter Lambert, Ryan Rolison, Colton Welker, etc.).

But that might not be enough, at least right now.

Castillo is a free agent after the 2023 season so the Rockies would have between a year and two years of service time with him.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58) pitches in the first inning of the MLB baseball between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.Detroit Tigers Cincinnati Reds /

**4) The Colorado Rockies might be a playoff team with just Castillo**

This one may be a stretch but it’s not as far-fetched as you may think. The Rockies over/under number is criminally low. WynnBET is the highest of any of the sportsbooks at 70.0. They won 74 games last year. They are, realistically, an 80-win team (give or take roughly three wins) as they are currently constructed.

If Castillo was with Colorado for a full season, he would put them on the doorstep of the playoffs. The Giants and Dodgers will not win 107 and 106 games this year either (especially the Giants) so there is plenty of room for the Rockies to gain 10 games or so in the standings.

However, if they don’t get Castillo and/or make some more moves, the Rockies will almost certainly come up just short of a playoff berth in 2022.

dark. Next. The Rox pitching philosophy and how their recent additions fit

Given that the Reds are trying to unload everyone of value on their team besides Castillo (and fellow starter Tyler Mahle and first baseman Joey Votto) as of this moment, Castillo is more likely to be a trade deadline acquisition. The Rockies have an easy schedule to start the season but they have a very difficult in August and September so it would be a great time for them to acquire Castillo for a stretch run.

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4 reasons why Cincinnati Reds ace Luis Castillo would be a perfect fit for the Colorado Rockies

Cincinnati Reds ace Luis Castillo would be a perfect fit for the Colorado Rockies

1) Luis Castillo would provide Colorado with much-needed rotation depth

2) Luis Castillo is a great groundball pitcher

3) The Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies have made a few trades recently

**4) The Colorado Rockies might be a playoff team with just Castillo**

Schedule

Cincinnati Reds ace Luis Castillo would be a perfect fit for the Colorado Rockies

1) Luis Castillo would provide Colorado with much-needed rotation depth

2) Luis Castillo is a great groundball pitcher

3) The Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies have made a few trades recently

4) The Colorado Rockies *might* be a playoff team with just Castillo

Schedule

**4) The Colorado Rockies might be a playoff team with just Castillo**