Luis Castillo Trade Rumors: Reds Attaching 'Exorbitant Price Tag' to Star SP

The Cincinnati Reds have reportedly attached an "exorbitant price tag" to starting pitcher Luis Castillo ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline.

According to Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com, the Reds are "waiting to be wowed" by an offer and will otherwise keep the 2019 All-Star.

Although Morosi didn't make a direct link to any club, he provided a sample offer of what Cincinnati would seek from a starter-interested team like the Atlanta Braves: outfielder Cristian Pache and starting pitcher Ian Anderson, the No. 14 and No. 26 prospects in baseball, per MLB.com.

That's a massive asking price and makes it unlikely Castillo is dealt over the next two weeks.

The 26-year-old Dominican Republic native is enjoying a terrific 2019. He's compiled a 2.41 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 134 strikeouts in 112 innings across 19 starts.

"Obviously felt great," Castillo told reporters through an interpreter after the All-Star Game. "I think everyone comes out with the mentality to absolutely throw their best stuff out there. I was just happy trying to throw my best pitches, and God willing, I was able to strike out those two guys. You just try to go out there and be competitive."

His 3.72 xFIP and 4.19 SIERA (via FanGraphs) suggest he's benefited from some good luck, however, and he posted a more modest 4.30 ERA during the 2018 campaign.

Giving up two elite-level prospects would be a risky proposition for any club, especially one like the Braves, whose championship window has just started to open.

Castillo is making only $557,500 this season and remains under team control through 2023 because of arbitration, per Spotrac.

There's no sense of urgency for the Reds to move him, and they're smart to seek a king's ransom in case a team is willing to bet big on the starter's success this year.