I think taking on Corbin in the deal is the only way the Astros have a chance. Otherwise it would just cost too much in return value. it's conceivable that they could fix Corbin too.
Anybody "can" play first. He played some in the minors so he's not completely foreign to it, but it would be a desperation move. Even if theoretically he could play first it would just create another offensive hole elsewhere.
And Do you realize that Taking Corbins 35 million in the last year of his deal and the 20+ m in next years seriously hurts the value of this trade?
So, If Corbin is included that means “Soto’s” salary is essentially 40 million this year and 100 million or so (total) for the next two years. That should (in a rational world) lower the prospect cost to something like Meyers and Garcia and maybe Leon. If I have to pay him that much money I’m not giving up any more than that. That’s 10 years of cost controlled likely to be above average players for something like 70 million in surplus value. I’m sure they will get more, but it wouldn’t be from me.
Does he live DC or something? They will be shitty for a long time with new ownership and he won’t recognize a single guy in the clubhouse when he comes to spring training next year. The no trade should just be to keep him away from getting shipped somewhere shitty (I have no idea how he’d feel about Houston), not some sort of guarantee to spend the rest of his career in total and abject futility.
You can basically trade Corbin in the offseason eating some of his cash and sell him as a reclamation project and get clear of most of the money owed to him. The trade I proposed is killed by Corbins way negative value. The Nationals are persistent on including him in any deal. This is what the trade I offered would work. And I bet in the Offseason If he had 25 m in 2023 and 35m in 2024 we took 5 m off 2023 and 15m off 2024 we could trade him to lets say the Orioles along with a prospect and still have loads of space and make a deal work. even the Diamondbacks would be in on Corbin his former team and would take him back to see if Stromy can fix him. this deal is a win win all around Im keeping Brown only and hoping the next few drafts would fix our Minor leagues. the way it sounds is they have gotten some really good players and plan on signing them all even the Committed ones
So which current starter do you move to the pen to "see if you could" fix Corbin, who has been awful since 2019 And....this is an organization that has been fine letting Keuchel, Cole, Springer, Correa walk because of money, so you really think they are going to be the ones to take on Corbin's awful contract? How much sense does that really make?
I would completely agree that there is not much difference in value between Soto and Tucker. But there is one universal truth when MLB teams trade superstars- they are only willing to do it in exchange for other stars or prospects rated as potential stars. A package of average players and prospects with little to no chance of becoming all stars is a non starter.
Corbin goes to the Pen. No starter gets bumped for him. And to answer your question maybe? It depends on if they wanna replace Brantley in LF and let him walk and what will they do in 2024 with Altuve and Bregman? If your trying to build some youth and still compete . You do this deal and Move away in the Offseason from Brantley and Yuli. Plus Castro is gone. The Deal would be a great deal over all. the tricky part is trading Corbin in the Offseason or in a separate trade to help you financially. Gotta be smart to do a deal
My back of the napkin calculation is that Soto has 17.5 WAR (7 WAR x 2.5 seasons) left on his contract worth 5 WAR and that Corbin has -7.5 WAR(-3 WAR x 2.5 season) left on his contract worth 9 WAR. 14 WAR in salary against 10 WAR in on-the-field production. It looks like the Nats will have to sweeten the deal
Brantley was playing very well before the injury. What they need is him to be healthy. And the concerning thing is that it's more of a breaking down rather than an injury that happened.
