Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: LA Has Shown Reported Interest in a Pair of Reds Pitchers

The Dodgers are heavily invested in upgrading their starting rotation for the 2022 season. With only two spots seemingly locked in for next year, they’ve already started to look for help. The Dodgers signed LHP Andrew Heaney to a one-year contract and have also shown reported interest in free agent Steven Matz. 

Both have shown flashes of what they could be when on their A-game, yet neither one has a strong track record of extended success. Certainly, there are other options out there and two might have surfaced on the trade market. Word around the grapevine is that the Cincinnati Reds are looking to cut payroll for next season which means a fire sale may be on the horizon. 

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale revealed that the Dodgers have checked in on Reds’ right-handed pitchers Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray. Both pitchers have two years of control left with Castillo being the cheaper and younger option of the two.

Castillo was forming into an ace for the Reds the past couple of years before having a rocky start to this past season. He rounded into form by the second half and ultimately ended the year with a 3.98 ERA and 192 strikeouts across 33 starts. Gray posted a decent 4.19 ERA with 155 strikeouts across 26 starts for the Reds. The biggest issue in his career has been control as he issues a ton of walks.

Dodgers Rumors: Luis Castillo Available for Trade, Should LA Pursue Castillo? Who Would LA Give Up?

It’s not known how deep into talks the two sides have gotten into or whether it was just a simple checkup for a Dodgers team in need of quality arms. Castillo has been on LA’s radar for some time and both the organization and the Reds have been trade partners in the past so it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see a deal go down once again. However, the Dodgers farm might take a hit this time around. Either one would help give Los Angeles quality innings from the middle of the rotation.

NEXT: Andrew Heaney Shares What Drew him to LA in Free Agency

14 Comments

  1. Considering we chopped the top of the farm the last two seasons, I guess I wouldn’t be happy to cut the rest for mid rotation help. I have to assume this is Plan B prep?

    1. I agree. I think trades are the way to go for Friedman this winter but hopefully he can package together players that aren’t our top prospects. We have lots of players that can play at the major league level for low salaries but just not for us.

  2. By 2023, it is reasonable to project that least one of the Dodger minor league starters [Bobby Miller, Mitch White, Andre Jackson, Ryan Pepiot, Landon Knack, Hyun-il Choi, others] should be able to pitch as well as either of Castillo or Gray (ERA 4.00), as a starter, but for the minimum salary, and without giving up any players. So the Dodgers should not trade for either of Castillo or Gray. [Same for Heaney, but that thought is too late.]

  3. Gawd, I hope Friedman isn’t getting his “Les Snead” on!

    Build the farm, not sell it off…

  4. Justin Verlander is another option. He is a free agent and we won’t have to give up on our prospects for him.

    1. I agree on Verlander. His FB was 97 during his recent showcase, and his track record and desire to pitch into his forties says this is a very good gamble. Imagine a rotation of Scherzer, Verlander, Buehler, Urias, and ANYONE else. You could spot start Gonsolin, and Pepiot, Miller, Jackson, White, Knack…breaking each of the rookies in slowly so as not to overwhelm them. And if May comes back and resumes his 2021 form, the Dodgers are going to be hard to stop…even without Kershaw, who I don’t believe will be re-signed.

      1. Yeah,let’s get Verlander and while you’re at it,let’s get Correa too.Two World Series Cheaters are better then one!

        1. All of the Astros pitchers are innocent and the rest of the team is guilty of cheating.Now that’s team sport!

    2. I take back what I said. He’s back with the cheaters. They should go after Robbie Ray since he won the Cy Young award for the AL.

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