Way out in the south side of the city of Chicago lies a baseball team with no direction. Sure, the White Sox can claim the likes of Jose Abreu, Yoan Moncada, and Lucas Giolito, but they can also can claim the third-lowest attendance numbers in major league baseball from last season. Their roster is the fifth lowest in all of baseball, but many of the guys have been rushed through their system to try to fill the gaps at the big league level. One player on the team that doesn’t exactly fit the young guy mantra on that team is catcher Wellington Castillo. In a time where younger players are more sought after than veterans, and it seems like 30 is the new 35, a guy like Castillo was a mind-boggling sign for the White Sox this offseason. However, there just happens to be a team in Flushing, Queens that should be in the market for a catcher.
Following the injuries to Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki, the situation behind the plate for the New York Mets has been a desperate one this season. Now requiring Tommy John surgery, it seems as if any hopes of returning to the Mets for d’Arnaud have quickly went down the drain. On the other hand, Plawecki’s broken hand is forcing him to sit the pine while watching the two replacement guys struggle. Jose Lobaton and Thomas Nido simply have not gotten the job done with their combined .113 batting average through April 27th. Many have called for a trade with the Miami Marlins for J.T Realmuto, and many have also called for them not to execute that trade. While I think it would be nice to have a player like Realmuto on the squad, I think he is just being labeled as this “must grab” player since the catching situation is currently so poor. Any trade for Realmuto would most likely cost more than what would it would be worth making for.
With that being said, I do believe that immediate help behind the plate would help in more ways than one. A player like Castillo would fit in nicely on the Mets lineup card. While he isn’t much of a hitter for average, his portfolio shows that he has been one of the top catchers in the game over the past three seasons in terms of home run hitting ability. He has 53 home runs over that span, trailing only Russel Martin, Brian McCann, Yasmani Grandall, and Salvador Perez. To put it into perspective, five separate Mets catchers had 55 over the same time span.
In addition to the power he will be bringing to the team, he also has the ability to throw people out, which is a significant problem that the Mets are facing right now. In 88 games last season with the Baltimore Orioles, Castillo threw out 49% runners who tried to steal on him, which led the American League.
At age 31, Castillo shouldn’t be too expensive to nab. If the Mets were to trade one of their lower end prospects for Castillo, who has a team option on his current deal, I think it would make total sense. When Plawecki returns, a catching tandem of him and Castillo should be enough to at least hold this team together. It would be better than what this team is running out on the field right now, anyway.
Ok, let’s call Sandy and tell him to go get him.
If you’re asking to White Sox’s to give up their starting catcher you kinda need to give them a catcher in return. The Mets are in need of a catcher don’t expect anyone to give away a player to help them.
I’d love to have him but it’s going to take a bit more than a low level prospect to get him. He hit 20 home runs in basically 2/3 of a season last year and threw out half the guys trying to steal on him. If you look at his numbers the past few years they are pretty comparable to Realmuto. Considering what it would seem to take to get Realmuto we’d have to give up something substantial for Castillo. He’s older with less team control than Realmuto but the Sox aren’t going to give him away. I wonder what it would take.
Nido… straight up?
I’d do that in a second. White Sox wouldn’t.
The team holding the asset has all the power in the trade deal. Mets are in need while Chicago or Tampa has the power.
Past deals, let’s say for a Piazza or Gary Carter where brought about because of contract feuds their owners. The team lucked out.
Other desperate moves in distant memories happened when Rey Orodonez broke his arm with the Mets trading for a elderly stable shortstop for a guy named Melvin Mora who went on for a long and prosperous career.
How desperate is the need for catcher or do use the bench to pinch hit for the catcher position when needed and wait for Plawecki to return?
Ugh, Mike Bordick. I hated that trade.
Just wanted to add that Jason Vargas is a welcome starter for tonight’s game. Just a few weeks ago I was thinking that he was excess baggage and would find a new home as the lefty in the bullpen.
Now he’s needed for stability just as the front office planned for.
Awesome start by Vargas. 9 runs in 3.2 innings. Ouch.
Great idea Dalton, but the White Sox have asked for a pretty penny for everyone that’s left their team. Too, they just signed him at a great rate and have two more years of control.
If I were Rick Hahn, it would take quite a bit to get him, meaning at least Conlon, Mazeika and Viall. Want to trade?
Just how far south do you think Guaranteed Rate Field is?