Money Money has little to do with trading for Skubal. It is true that a team who is able to extend him may be willing to trade away more talent, but the Tigers will choose the offer of most top end prospect talent not a team with deep pockets.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/2025-26-top-50-mlb-free-agents-with-predictions.html MLBTR released their top free agents list with predictions. Astros were linked to CF Trent Grisham, SP Justin Verlander, and SP Tyler Mahle. Grisham makes some sense as a lefthanded bat, but he has a QO attached and is coming off a peak season. I think it would be a really bad idea for Houston to sign him. MLBTR had Verlander getting $22M/1yr. I think that would be a pretty big overpay. Anything more than about $18M is too steep considering how checkered his last few seasons have been and his age. But for anything less than $15M he’s a good add. Mahle has some upside but doesn’t seem to fit what Houston needs from the SP they add. MLBTR’s estimates seem really high. From their list the good values I see: Ranger Suarez $135M/5yrs Kazuma Okamoto $64M/4yrs Jorge Polanco $42M/3yrs JT Realmuto $30M/2yrs Ryan O’Hearn $26M/2yrs Luis Arraez $24M/2yrs Zach Littell $24M/2yrs Victor Caratini $14M/2yrs Willi Castro $14M/2yrs
Thanks for parsing through this. I'd say we should focus more on their contract projections than teams but even those seem generous. As for Grisham, I'm out on him, seems like he'll only go down from his career year. Surprised not one person has us linked to Caratini.
I hate FB, just saw an article that Bregman had agreed to come back for 121m and I was like, what? Then come here where folks know to verify, and nothing....figures....lol.... Not sure where he would even play. DD
They could trade Pena for Springer and a prospect, sign Tucker, and really get the band back together. LF Springer RF Tucker 3B Bregman DH Alvarez SS Correa 2B Altuve 1B Paredes C Diaz CF Smith Houston would be $30M over the CBT and still have 2 holes in their rotation, but that would be one of the best lineups they’ve ever had.
One last hurrah. Dont forget Verlander and that catcher dude we all love/hate, whatever his name. Cant remember and not googling it.
While I think their 1yr $22M prediction is quite high, I can see where they think he may get a raise from his $15 M salary from 2025 considering he was healthy and better than 2024. I think a 1 yr, incentive loaded deal is fair and reasonable. 1yr / $15M + $500 K for 100 ip and each 20 innings after. 100ip = $15.5M 120ip = $16M 140ip = $16.5M 160ip = $17M 180ip = $17.5M 200ip = $18M
Give both JV and Scherzer the Roger Clemens contract: They only have to pitch the 2nd half of the season
https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/dyl...among-free-agent-starters-astros-could-target Assuming this is informed speculation from MacT, it’s pretty disappointing. I’m to the point where if Houston signs a player with a QO attached, I will completely lost faith in Jim Crane and Dana Brown’s ability to reopen the competitive window. At some point you have to let your farm system recover and rely on your front office to draft and develop star players. Propping up the roster with aging internal options and expensive free agents is not sustainable. There are enough trade targets and non-QO SP available to build a competitive rotation.
