“Wouldn’t put it past the Reds to give him away for a bag of chips” “Reds have crappy owners with no vision for the future” - New York Mets desperate for pitching after losing ground on division lead, target Cincinnati Reds pitcher Luis Castillo

The New York Mets are reportedly interested in targeting Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo. This comes after injuries from their two top starting pitchers, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer.

The New York Mets need more starting pitching depth. A trade like this would be logical for a team trying to make a playoff push.

"Mets have checked in on Castillo (and presumably other starters) with so many rotation injuries. But a hitter would be nice too (2-3 options listed in here stand out in a sellers market" - Jon Heyman

Once Scherzer and deGrom return from injury, the Mets rotation will be one of the deepest. With the addition of Luis Castillo, the rotation would look like this:

1. Max Scherzer
2. Jacob deGrom
3. Carlos Carrasco
4. Chris Bassit
5. Luis Castillo
6. Taijuan Walker

The rotation would rival the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees for the best in baseball.

Fans react to Luis Castillo trade rumors

Luis Castillo pitches during a Cincinnati Reds v Boston Red Sox game.

Many fans took to Twitter to discuss their enticing trade interests. One fan said that the Reds would likely just give Castillo away for practically nothing.

The Reds will likely get a decent haul of prospects in return unless the Mets take on another player's contract such as Mike Moustakas.

One Reds fan said that the Reds might as well trade Castillo given the owners and little vision for the future.

One New York Mets fan does not want to give up any top prospects for a starting pitcher.

The Mets may need depth for starting pitching right now, and a trade would be logical at this point. The team will also likely target several position players to make a push in the second half.

New York Mets top position player trade targets

Willson Contreras hits a line drive to left field during a Atlanta Braves v Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field.

Besides the teams' need for starting pitching depth, there are potential options for the team to look at in the starting lineup. Here, we'll take a look at two potential position players the Mets could target at the trade deadline.

#2. Willson Contreras: Chicago Cubs, C

Willson Contreras at backstop during at Chicago Cubs v Baltimore Orioles game.

Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras is a potential target the Mets could take a look at. Contreras is in the final year of his contract and is on a struggling Cubs team rebuild for the future.

The only issue with a trade for a catcher is the adjustment to manage a new pitching staff. Other than this, the Mets would be getting one of the best catchers in the game, drastically improving their offensive production at the position.

#1. Josh Bell: Washington Nationals,1B

Josh Bell gets a hit during a Colorado Rockies v Washington Nationals game.

Perhaps the top target the New York Mets should go after is Nationals first baseman Josh Bell. Bell would be the perfect DH for the team to complement Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso in the lineup.

Bell would give the New York Mets another switch hitter that provides versatility in the lineup. He is currently batting .295 with 11 home runs and 44 RBIs. These two options would require a trade of prospects. If the Mets want to win in 2022, they need to be aggressive.