According to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick, it could leave Lowell on the fast track to the New York Mets.
Monday night, Crasnick reported via Twitter that he "just heard that [the] Red Sox have talked to the Mets about a Mike Lowell-for-Luis Castillo trade." He was careful, however, to add the caveat: "Not sure how serious it is."
With Adrian Beltre seemingly ready to join the fray and Kevin Youkilis holding down the everyday job at first base, Lowell is apparently expendable in the eyes of the Red Sox brass. If he were to go to Queens, where David Wright is well-established at the hot corner, Lowell would likely be moved to first base, according to ESPN.com.
But how much would Castillo, a 34-year-old second baseman, help the Red Sox?
Well, he is a three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glover who hit .302 in 2009, despite just one homer and 40 RBIs. But Boston is already more than set at second base with 2008 AL MVP Dustin Pedroia. And Castillo made $6.25 million in 2009, so it's not like his production is coming on the cheap. ESPN.com suggests that the only way a deal like that would make sense for the Red Sox would be if they were then able to send Castillo to a third team via trade.
It's clear that the Red Sox are looking for a team — anyone — willing to take on the 35-year-old Lowell, who was limited to 113 and 119 games the past two seasons by various injuries. Several weeks ago, the Red Sox had agreed to trade the 13-year veteran to the Texas Rangers for young catcher Max Ramirez and to pay $9 million of the $12 million owed to Lowell for the 2010 season. But the deal was voided after a physical showed a torn radial collateral ligament in Lowell's thumb that required surgery.
