Reds trade starter for three prospects

The Cincinnati Reds continued their roster-cleansing methodology — veterans for prospects/suspects — by trading starting pitcher Dan Straily to the Miami Marlins for three minor leaguers.

The Reds acquired two right-handed pitchers, Luis Castillo and Austin Brice, plus outfielder Isaiah White — low-level minor leaguers.

Even though the Reds are in a tear-it-down and put-it-backtogether mode, this trade is a bit curious. Straily, only 28, was their best starting pitcher last year — 14-8 with a 3.76 ERA over 191 innings in 31 starts and three relief appearances.

But starting pitching is one part of the team that is strong and the club felt he was expendable. The rotation is expected to be Homer Bailey, Anthony DeSclafani, Brandon Finnegan and a host of candidates that include Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed, Tim Adleman and Amir Garrett, among others.

Castillo, 24, pitched at the class-A and double-A levels last season, going 8-6 with a 2.26 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 131 innings. He was rated by Baseball America as Miami’s second-best prospect and fifth best by MLB.com.

Brice, 24, pitched in double-A and triple-A. He was 4-7 with a 2.74 ERA in 32 games at both levels, including 13 starts. He appeared in 15 games for the Marlins last season and had a 7.07 ERA in 14 bigleague innings.

White, 20, was taken in the third round of the 2015 draft by Miami. He played at short-season class-A