Starlin Castro might be racking up some serious air miles. While his prospective trade from the New York Yankees to the Miami Marlins as a part of the Giancarlo Stanton blockbuster is being finalized, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reported on Friday afternoon that the New York Mets will call Derek Jeter and Miami about trading for Castro.
Obviously, this will have to wait until the Stanton deal is made official as the Yankees will send Castro along with prospect pitcher Jorge Guzman and shortstop Jose Devers in a package to Miami.
The Mets are looking to bolster an infield that has been ripped apart over the past two years. With third baseman David Wright’s constant injury woes and with the team out of contention in 2017, the Mets dealt Lucas Duda and second baseman Neil Walker at the deadline while moving Asdrubal Cabrera from shortstop to second and third base, making room for top prospect Amed Rosario at short.
With Wright’s career in jeopardy due to injuries, the Mets will likely put Cabrera at third to start the season while Rosario begins his first full big-league career at short.
The Mets do have Wilmer Flores as a second-base option, but it’s been proven that he isn’t an every-day player and he might be used as a platoon option at first base with Dominic Smith.
Castro provides a full-time, All-Star caliber option at second and is a bat that can be featured near the top of the order. He batted .300 with 16 home runs and 63 RBI in just 112 games last season, garnering his fourth-ever selection to the Mid-Summer Classic.
But why would the Marlins be willing to flip Castro like that?
For a rebuilding side that is about to shed the enormous contract of Stanton, the taking on of another sizable deal might hinder those efforts. The Marlins just traded franchise second baseman Dee Gordon to the Seattle Mariners, who was in the midst of a five-year, $50 million deal, on Thursday.
The 27-year-old Castro is signed through the 2019 season with a $16 million club option in 2020. He’s owed $21 million over the next two years combined.
This kind of transaction wouldn’t be uncommon for the Mets and Marlins. In 1998, the Mets traded for Mike Piazza after he was dealt from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Marlins a week prior.
