Anthony Fenech of Free Press Sports is reporting that the Detroit Tigers have been in contact with the Mets about a potential trade for third baseman and outfielder Nicholas Castellanos.
According to a number of team sources, some of whom have been in contact alongside the Mets, the asking price on Castellanos is “high, among other words and phrases.”
Castellanos, who turns 27 this coming March, is set to hit free agency at the end of the 2019 season, and has already garnered interest from such teams as the Los Angeles Dodgers (first reported by Jon Morosi of MLB Network and Atlanta Braves (also Morosi).
Per Fenech, the Tigers are “determined to move on” from the 2010 first round draft pick, perhaps intent on avoiding an arbitration procedure prior to spring training – where he would be owed an expected $11.3MM.
Since 2016, Castellanos has thrived in the middle of the order, hitting .285/.336/.495, though admittedly on the back of a .335 BABIP and 0.3 BB/K ratio. He comes off his second straight year of over 150 starts, 20 homers, and 300 total bases, and his .854 OPS last season made for a career high. What’s more, Castellanos’ .381 average against lefties last season – which led baseball – could lend very well to a Met lineup that failed to produce versus southpaws all season.
One detractor to Castellanos is his defense, which has long plagued the Tigers as they have attempted to hide him between the hot corner – where he cost his team 14 defensive runs in 2017 – and right field, where he cost his team 17 in 2018. Granted, his 10 assists last year made for the eighth-best in baseball, but his inability to cover ground and consistently track fly balls dragged him down to second-to-last in the majors with a -12.9 Ultimate Zone Rating (finishing ahead of Bryce Harper).
