Following the loss of Corbin Burnes to free agency, the Baltimore Orioles are reportedly turning their attention to the trade market as they seek to bolster their starting rotation ahead of the 2025 season. According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, discussions have taken place between the Orioles and the Seattle Mariners regarding a potential trade involving pitcher Luis Castillo.

While the specifics of the negotiations remain unclear, Morosi indicated that several challenges would need to be addressed for a deal to materialize. Notably, Castillo possesses a full no-trade clause in his contract, which he would need to waive for a trade to occur. Additionally, he is set to earn $72.5 million over the next three seasons, accompanied by a vesting option valued at $25 million for 2028, contingent upon him pitching a minimum of 180 innings during the 2027 season. If he fails to meet the innings requirement and is sidelined for at least 130 days between 2025 and 2027, the option could be converted to a $5 million club option, providing some financial protection for the team.

Despite the recent change in ownership with David Rubenstein officially assuming control in March, the Orioles have yet to demonstrate a willingness to engage in aggressive roster moves. The previous trade for Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers yielded only one top-100 prospect, Joey Ortiz, whose status as a middle infielder was deemed surplus to requirements given the presence of Gunnar Henderson at shortstop and the emergence of Jackson Holliday as a potential starting second baseman in 2025. Conversely, the Mariners are in dire need of offensive reinforcements, making it plausible that they could sacrifice depth in their rotation to acquire a young hitter from the Orioles or reallocate funds from Castillo’s contract toward signing one of the top remaining free agents. However, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mariners have exhibited some reluctance in contemplating a trade involving Castillo, primarily due to the lack of upper-level pitching prospects within their minor league system who could effectively fill his role.

Castillo has proven to be a central figure in Seattle's pitching roster, complemented by fellow starters George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo. Together, they formed a formidable rotation that led Major League Baseball with a collective earned run average (ERA) of 3.38 and ranked fourth in FanGraphs' wins above replacement metric (15.2) last season. In the 2024 season, Castillo, a three-time All-Star, concluded his performance with a 3.64 ERA and recorded 175 strikeouts across 175.1 innings pitched over the course of 30 starts.