I was thinking of starting a thread on who the Astros were considering to replace Martin if he continues to falter while McHugh is still on the IR and James has newfound struggles w/ HRs (and mostly just HRs), with the possibility (or not) of adding Keuchel as our #3... and I couldn't find a starting pitching thread, so here.
If we had any interest in Keuchel he would already be here as the draft pick loss doesn't apply to us I was really hoping James would show well last night when he came in and possibly transition to the rotation, but alas..... There really isn't anyone, Whitley has totally crapped his pants, Armenteros and Perez have been terrible...maybe Rogers Thing is, the drop dead trade deadline is end of July this year and with everything going on around the team right now, wouldn't surprise me if we are trying to make a deal for a starter right now, pull the trigger on something with a utility guy attached Boyd and Goodrum anyone?? Goodrum has played every infield position as well as some OF, and Boyd would be a great addition to the staff
I think they’re content to roll with the depth they have. Now if Altuve or Correa both are expected to be out more than a month, they may look for a middle infielder. But otherwise I think they will see how Kemp, Mayfield, Straw, Fisher, Stubbs, and White hit.
I think Diaz health is a big part of it also, cause even if it is just 2-3 weeks before we get any of them back, there is zero depth. The way they like to use the DH to rest guys and all of that, them going several weeks being so limited isn't that likely. The bigger thing here though, is if we are going to make a move for a starter, and it's hard to argue against the need, getting a guy like Goodrum (or someone depending on what starter we go after) attached would make a ton of sense
Sending him down and adding another reliever would make a lot of sense right now. Backend of the pen has been rode hard lately
Martin, James, Valdez, McHugh, Rodgers, we have options. Not only to try and wins games, but to give guys some innings to prove themselves. I don't see us using any assets to shore up the back of the rotation, which is very much only a regular season problem. Any trades we make will be for October, so the only pitcher we might add will be a 3rd ace to go behind Cole and Verlander. Guys like James, Martin and McHugh are much more likely to help us in a postseason series than a regular season innings eater will. Definitely would be different if we feared for our postseason birth, but we don't.
I fully agree we won't go get an innings eater Matt Boyd certainly has the look of a playoff caliber pitcher though, and I think Luhnow is more likely to go after a controlled pitcher rather than a rental
I'd like to see a 3rd high quality starter added by the trade deadline for the post-season.. even it is just a rental... 1. Verlander 2. Cole 3. ?
If the FO feels they can do better than Keuchel I'm all for it. Keuchel rejected our $17.9M qualifying offer only because he wanted an unrealistic contract. It's only in the last week that it's been publicized he's willing to take less, a prorated $18M for one year, which is less than what the Astros offered. Are they still interested especially given that they really don't have a solid fifth starter for the rotation? Does he fit under the tax given the Bregman and Verlander extensions, if those indeed affected this year (which I'm not sure anyone REALLY knows for sure.) Is he too much of a Miley clone? Does the FO already have a #3 trade in mind instead? Regarding the latter, the one silver lining with all these injuries is the potential to showcase talent for such a trade, I guess Straw at SS is up next - he had a lot of trade interest last year, though he sure brings excitement to the game I'll miss watching. I was pulling for a Tyler Ivey promotion from AA like McCullers because he's been killing it, but he's now on the IR. Of course.
Problem with signing Keuchel not to shore up the rotation, is the money it would cost (even if prorated 18 million contract) would likely make it a lot tougher to trade for a 3rd true Ace at the deadline. Keuchel has been that in the past, but if we signed him now we really wouldn't know what version of Keuchel we were getting until after the trade deadline passes anyway. I have been one of Keuchels biggest fans, really wanted us to sign him in the offseason and almost no one else on the board wanted that...having said that, it's a hard pass for me at this point. I want a guy added now that I feel confident can be our 3rd playoff starter Matt Boyd Bumgarner (though he has the rep of an azzhole) Scherzer (although I don't think it is possible with the money) not sure who else will be available, not a lot of Aces on bad teams that will sell this year
3rd starter acquired in a package built around 2 2nd tier prospects (Martin, Bukauskas, Beer, James) and 2 3rd tier prospects (Fisher, Straw, Stubbs, Valdez, Perez, Urquidy, Toro, Nova, Ivey, Abreu, Bielak): Marcus Stroman Sonny Gray Jon Gray Matt Boyd Chris Archer Trevor Bauer 3rd starter acquired for 2 3rd tier prospects: Mike Minor Lance Lynn Tanner Roark Madison Bumgarner Tyler Skaggs Aaron Sanchez Steven Matz BoR SP acquired for a lotto prospect: Brett Anderson Homer Bailey Andrew Cashner Danny Duffy Dylan Bundy Anibal Sanchez Mike Fiers Ivan Nova Jordan Zimmerman Felix Hernandez Jeff Samardzija Pipe dream aces that might be available but would be expensive (in prospects and/or money): Max Scherzer Noah Synergaard Corey Kluber
JBB, Toro, and Fisher plus a throw-in should do it for Matt Boyd. Armenteros would be my throw-in, DET's farm is VERY heavy with top pitching propsects, Armenteros is just a AAAA piece but he can be a stopgap until they're ready, and get actual playing time. Plus it also clears a spot on the 40-man roster. BTW, Boyd is a really great human being. His and his wife's humanitarian work made it onto 60 Minutes. Would be a VERY good look for the club (complete opposite of the national media's reaction to the Osuna trade last year). He'd fit in the clubhouse perfectly, and I'm sure he'd love being reunited with JV.
Dude's name is literally Stro-Man. He has to end up on the Stros, right? But seriously, I've always irrationally liked Stroman and I think he has a great Strom-inspired renaissance in him.
Keuchel at $18m/1yr (which would really be ~$12M/0.5yr) makes more sense to me than trading decent prospects for a 3rd tier pitcher like Minor, Lynn, or Bumgarner. But if they could get a guy like Stroman or Gray or Boyd who has multiple years of control and is likely to provide higher quality performance than Keuchel, that makes the most sense to me. But given pitchers’ propensity to get injured and Peacock’s ability to dominate out of the bullpen, it might make sense to do both (sign Keuchel AND make a trade).
Bumgarner is a 3rd tier pitcher?? If you've watched him pick this year you could obviously sense that his heart isn't there with the Giants and he's going through the motions.
I'd love to see us trade for Bumgarner (if he is willing to waive the no trade). Folks were down on Verlander before he came over too. Trades to a contender can have a great effect.