Astros Join Trade Deadline Sweepstakes for Elite Starting Pitcher

The Houston Astros currently own the second-best ERA in baseball (3.00), but every MLB fan knows that a team can never have too much pitching in the playoffs. Manager Dusty Baker's squad has reportedly joined the trade sweepstakes for Cincinnati's Luis Castillo, according to Sweeny Murti.

I’ve heard Astros also in on Castillo. Competition like that can drive up the price. Probably still too early for this to happen for that reason. https://t.co/Pir4oS8hFd
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) July 15, 2022

Houston Astros Trade Rumors

Castillo is one of the most popular names on the market this season due to a number of reasons. He is one of the league's top strikeout pitchers, averaging 9.5 punch-outs per nine innings in 2022. The Reds are also looking to deal him now due to the fact he is only under team control through 2023.

Overall, Castillo is 3-4 on the season with a career-best 2.77 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. He has also logged 82 strikeouts compared to 27 walks in 78.0 innings pitched, which has led to a 2022 All-Star nod. Adding him to the mix alongside Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez would create a nasty trio.

Keep in mind almost every AL contender is going to be linked to Castillo, though. That includes the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins. Houston is going to have to pay up in they want to make a deal, which means top pitching prospect Hunter Brown may need to be involved.

It's worth noting that the Astros are set to get starter Lance McCullers Jr. back shortly after the All-Star break. That could ultimately take them out of the running for Castillo, but not for now at least. Houston has the third-best odds to win the World Series at +500, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.