MLB Trade Rumors: Luis Castillo, Tyler Mahle Interest Giants; Mets Linked to Mahle

The San Francisco Giants are reportedly in the market for starting pitching, and the Cincinnati Reds duo of Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle could be in their crosshairs. 

"I'm hearing that the Giants are looking at the Reds' starters, Castillo and Mahle," Jon Heyman of the New York Post said on The Show podcast (25:15 mark). "I do think there is a possibility there. The Mets have scouted at least Mahle as well. We talked about the lack of depth of starting pitching with all of these teams—there's going to be a lot of teams looking at them. But to me, the Giants is a team to keep an eye on for Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle."

Castillo, 29, is 0-1 this season in two starts with a 5.59 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and seven strikeouts in 9.2 innings. Shoulder soreness delayed the start of his regular season, and the 2019 All-Star is clearly still trying to find his mojo after a solid 2021 campaign (8-16 with a 3.98 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 192 strikeouts in 187.2 innings). 

"I thought I felt fine the whole game," Castillo told reporters after his start on Saturday. "My slider and changeup weren't working as well as I wanted them to, but everything else felt fine."

Mahle, 27, is 2-4 on the year with a 5.89 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 40 strikeouts in 36.2 innings. It's been a tough start after his fantastic 2021 showing (13-6 with a 3.75 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 210 strikeouts in 180 innings over 33 starts). 

With the Reds starting the year a woeful 9-26 and likely already out of the running for postseason consideration, barring an incredible turnaround, the buzz has already begun that the team could be sellers and their pair of starters would interest prospective buyers:

The Giants (21-14) and Mets (23-13), meanwhile, look like legitimate contenders, and bolstering the rotation would make sense for both teams. It wouldn't be surprising if both teams were indeed circling the floundering Reds, hoping to add some pitching.