LAS VEGAS – The blockbuster Luis Castillo trade in late July already changed for the fortunes for one organization and the Cincinnati Reds hope it’ll be two a few years down the line.
Jerry Dipoto, the president of baseball operations for the Seattle Mariners, said he was asked by a rival executive Tuesday whether he knew Castillo would sign a long-term extension with his organization prior to the trade.
The Mariners paid a heavy price in prospects for the top pitcher available at last summer’s trade deadline. Shortstops Noelvi Marte and Edwin Arroyo are consensus top-100 prospects. Levi Stoudt will compete for a spot in the Reds’ rotation next spring and high strikeout reliever Andrew Moore was included in the deal.
Castillo, however, was everything the Mariners hoped. He helped them end a 21-year playoff drought and starred during the postseason. The Mariners signed Castillo to a five-year, $108 million extension, which could grow to six years and $133 million based on a vesting option.
“We did pay a premium to get him,” Dipoto said, “and I’d do it again in a minute, especially if I knew he was going to sign and stay.”
“We didn’t know if he would sign long-term, fortunately for us, he came at the right time for the Mariners because it was a pretty fun time to be where we were,” Dipoto said.
.