Added #13 in the sixth. Sadly, that also included a 2-run homer, but he should get the W as the Tigers are up 9-4 in the top of the 7th. No walks, was excellent at getting ahead in the count. Threw a first pitch strike to all but two (or maybe three) batters he faced, FB averaged at 94, nasty slider. He'd fit right in at #3 behind former rotation-mate JV and Gerrit Cole (when I say that, I mean, they're high-K, low-BB guys that can go deep in games (>100 pitches) but also suffer from the longball problem). EDIT: Forgot to mention that he didn't walk anybody this game. When I've said he has great K/BB numbers, I really meant it.
He's not worth trading Tucker for. You have to think long term in the case of Springer not resigning with us. We need elite depth at an OF position.
I would trade Tucker but it wouldn't be for a player like Boyd. Tucker should only be moved for top 10 talent in the league. Whether or not he ends up being a bust, no one knows.
Fisher, Valdez, Armenteros, Dawson would be an equivalent to what we offered for Cole. Didn't the Pirates start by asking for Tucker like the Tigers did? Tigers are asking for Gleyber Torres (LOL) from the Yankees, Tucker is worth less. Maybe we can negotiate the price down. They want MLB-ready talent, so a package of those plus another AAAA pitcher (or Kemp/Ferguson/Rojas/White) could do it. I'm confident Luhnow could swing a deal without Tucker or Whitley. Sucks that both Martin and Bukauskas are hurt/having down years, gives us less flexibility for trades.
Considering the Nats will likely win a Wild Card, they want MLB talent. When I look at Astros MLB roster for guys that would be an overpay, I don't like the idea of overpaying for Scherzer one bit. The Nats righting the ship sucks, but it is time to listen to the Geico commercial. "Let's go (trade with the) Mets. Let's go Nats. That's not what this says."
3 years of control for a #2-3 type pitcher will still require significant capital, see how much we paid for Fiers and Gomez. Our player of the year and pitcher of the year plus high upside player in Santana and a recent high round draft pick in Houser, and Boyd is probably held in higher regard than Fiers was at the time. I think it will take two top 10 guys plus a top 20 guy. Maybe Beer and Abreu plus Toro. They have a handful of pitching prospects so maybe they're looking at adding hitters.
Martin getting injured and Bukauskas struggling are huge blows to Houston’s stash of trade chips. If they’re going to get a good SP without giving up Tucker they’re going to have to get creative and probably give up a lot of their depth. At least 5 of these guys are probably gone: Josh James, Framber Valdez, Seth Beer, Derek Fisher, Bukauskas, Freudis Nova, Abraham Toro, Cionel Perez, Bryan Abreu, Jose Urquidy, and Myles Straw.
Yeah, we have a big issue with pitching depth now in the minors. Might have to get a Wade Miley type stop-gaps next year.