Astros join Luis Castillo chase with Yankees, Dodgers still among favorites

The Yankees and Dodgers have been seen as among the favorites for All-Star pitcher Luis Castillo, the top starter on the market. But the Astros are among other teams showing keen interest in Castillo. Sweeny Murti of WFAN first mentioned this.

Hard to see Cincinnati sending him to St. Louis, its bitter rival. But the Cardinals, hurt by injuries, are seeking one or two starting pitchers.

Frankie Montas is due to start Friday and could join Castillo at the top of the market. The belief is he just had shoulder inflammation.

The Astros appear to be looking for a catcher, but perhaps just a backup catcher. … Orioles No. 1 overall pick, Oklahoma HS SS Jackson Holliday, had a remarkable 2.141 OPS as a high school senior. He is expected to sign for close to $8.2 million. Georgia HS CF Druw Jones got a record $8,185,100 as the No. 2 pick by the Diamondbacks. Jones beat Bobby Witt Jr.’s $7.7M record for a high school player, and Holliday will (slightly) top Jones.

Andrew Benintendi could use his vaccination status as a de facto no-trade clause. If he doesn’t want to go to a team in the AL East — including Toronto, for instance — he can prevent that by remaining unvaccinated. … Best wishes to beloved Mets first-base coach Wayne Kirby, who underwent prostate cancer surgery Tuesday and is expected back in a few days.

Trade Bait Power Rankings, among players with a good chance to be traded:

1. Juan Soto, Nationals, OF: Way above the others but no guarantee he goes.
2. Luis Castillo, Reds, SP: Strong recent games means ask is high; Dodgers, Yankees, Blue Jays in.
3. Frankie Montas, A’s, SP: He’s due to start Friday; should bring back a nice return.
4. Ramon Laureano, A’s, CF: No certainty he will go, but Phillies, Marlins and Brewers could use.
5. Josh Bell, Nationals, 1B: Once again, the Nats will have a big sale.
6. Willson Contreras, Cubs, C: He’s a goner, though he’d like to stay.
7. Noah Syndergaard, Angels, SP: Angels are in sell position now.
8. David Robertson, Cubs, RP: Playoff pedigree a plus.
9. Jose Quintana, Pirates, SP: Under-the-radar starter is coveted.
10. Andrew Benintendi, Royals, LF: Vax status likely means AL East is out.