Luis Castillo to Yankees Trade Rumor 'Completely False,' Says Reds GM Nick Krall

Reports of Luis Castillo's impending trade to the New York Yankees have been greatly exaggerated.

"[The rumors] are completely false," Cincinnati Reds general manager Nick Krall told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. "We intend to have [Castillo] as a member of our rotation for 2021."

Rumors of a potential Castillo trade had been floated across social media over the weekend, largely circulated under false pretenses and then picked up by fans. No credible reports of the impending trade existed, but the rumors reached such a fever pitch that Krall felt the need to pour water on the fire.

Castillo, 28, went 4-6 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.23 WHIP during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He does not become a free agent until 2024 and will make just $4.2 million in 2021 after avoiding arbitration to sign a one-year contract.

While the Reds have been active in trade discussions this winter, Castillo is likely low on the list of players they're seeking to move. He's still cheap, highly effective and under team control, so barring an offer that bowls them over, it makes sense to wait out the market.

The Yankees have largely been quiet in this slow-moving winter but have glaring needs in their starting rotation behind Gerrit Cole. They signed Corey Kluber to a one-year contract last week, a move that comes with heavy risk because of the two-time Cy Young winner's recent history of arm trouble. Kluber has made only eight starts the last two seasons.

Jordan Montgomery and Domingo German are penciled into the projected rotation but also come with major questions. Montgomery has failed to impress throughout his four-year MLB career, while German missed all of 2020 while serving a suspension for domestic violence.

It seems almost certain the Yankees will continue to explore adding more pitching help, with Masahiro Tanaka's return seeming like a solid bet.

Adding a potential co-ace like Castillo appears increasingly unlikely as the offseason progresses.