I can't see the Astros selling while Yordan is having a triple crown season. No way they would want to take any motivation away from him or the team. Off season makes more sense, especially if the Astros don't do anything these final 2 months.
Astros trade Arrighetti/Matthews/Ullola/Neyens to the Giants for Lee/Ray Astros trade Blubaugh/Hicks to the Cards for Nootbar
I see trading for the Noobar tier of players as trading just for the sake of trading. We are just not in the position to trade for bats that will make a difference without mortgaging the future. I would either stand pat or trade Pena for a haul. It’s a better gamble to me to hope that Cam and Walker or Altuve get hot than trade for journeyman like Nootbar.
Of course there is risk involved. I remember watching Yoan Moncada in the minor leagues and being convinced that he was going to Carlos Baerga and Jeff Kent fused into one. He ended up having some serious issues off the field and in his preparation that has led to injuries --- but even for as disappointing as he has been, he had a 5+ WAR season and another near 5 WAR season. Arias isn't quite that good a prospect - but he is in the same group as Hanley Ramirez, a young Rafael Devers, Francisco Lindor, Xander Boegaerts, Addison Russell, Javier Baez, Orlando Acia, Trea Turner, Amed Rosario, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Gavin Lux. He isn't quite in the Correa, Franco, Jurickson, Machado class - but he could be by next year. Regardless, the vast majority of the guys over the last 15 years in that type of tier were very good for at least awhile, and a number of them were better than that. there is always a risk involved, but turning down a deal of Arias for Pena is insane to me.
Teams don't trade them often - but they do trade them. The Red Sox actually traded a similar prospect - Yoan Moncada. The Padres traded another one - Leo De Vries. It doesn't happen very often though - but other ones I can think of are Will Myers, Dansby Swanson, Giolitto was pre well thought of too at the time, Carl Pavano .... Cameron Maybin, Jarred Kelenic was another one.
Adding an outfielder, preferably one who bats from the left side, is Brown's stated priority. Some possible options there include the Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho, the Rockies' Mickey Moniak, the Reds' JJ Bleday and the Twins' Trevor Larnach. The Astros could also use more help in front of Hader in the bullpen. https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/mlb-trade-rumors-and-news-for-july-27-2026.html Of those names, I like Larnach the most.
It seems to me if the Astros trade for another SP then they're admitting mistakes were made in the off season in the category. I would think an SP would be more of a need than RP (as King can turn it around).
I'm surprised Trout's name isn't getting thrown out there more. Maybe the Angels just wanna keep him in purgatory his whole career.
They've already admitted that their acquisitions on a limited budget didn't totally work out. 2 of the 4 are no longer in the rotation. eta: Lambert: great Imai: meh Burrows & Weiss: bad
The Red Sox have asked about Pena recently -- and were told "no". Is that because the Astros mean "no" or if it because they want to play coy. IDK. Zach Neto is another one the Sox are supposedly interested in. I get not wanting to move Yordan and Altuve because of what ownership views as their importance to the organization --- but I would make everyone else available. Three of the Astros top 4 prospects are 18 years old or younger. The Astros have a couple of others that are under 20 at the tail end of the top 10 in the organization. The Astros have some young talent at the low levels - and there are a couple others in the complexes that likely are top 100 by this time next year based on performance and tools. Rebuild for the remainder of this year and next year - get top picks and an infusion of talent, and guys like Alvarez, Neyens, Fermin, Millan and Huezo will be ready or close to ready. Alvarez, Neyens, Fermin and Millan all have the chance to be top prospects.
I'm trying to speak it into existence. His contract is probably not viewed as a good one , and the angels trading him would be like us trading altuve EXCEPT he hasn't won anything there , so it could be viewed as giving him a chance to compete I think we are the perfect team to trade for him, he might have more value to us than to the other big markets right now . #1 he gets on base #2 he makes our outfield stronger #3 no state taxes for trout #4 gets to play with other legends Altuve and Yordan and Correa #5 mentor to Smith and Matthews and other young OF we bring up The details matter . If the angles seriously consider trading him , I'm sure the Astros will be interested . Crane is a star chaser and to pair trout with yordan is primetime this year and I think reliably for a few more . The Astros have the organization to rest trout and he doesn't have the pressure to be mr astro . He can just be under the radar here , except crane will make a ton of money and he will have to do a few HEB shoots
This isn't any great surprise - and I don't think that Brown or even the pitching coach is shocked. The Astros literally paid those two guys like 3 million between them. They HOPED one of them would pan out, but knew it was a lot to ask.
It really is a tough situation to be in . yordan is healthy and awesome and pena is playing just lights out right now . Those 2 alone and paredes do really feel like they give you a shot. You could get so much for pena the way he is playing right now . But doing so basically guarantees you aren't going it. The lockout looking really dampens what you can get for pena and walker in the off-season. Walker we are almost assuredly gonna dump in the off-season regardless If you trade Pena are we getting back an infielder at MLB level or will it all be prospect value ? Who do we play at SS the rest of the year ? Theoretically if you could get an outfielder on the same level as pena will more control you would do it .... But pena is having an MVP level stretch right now . If he hadn't missed time he would be right there with yordan maybe
Mike Trout would have zero interest in leaving Anaheim and has a no trade clause. He also isn't like 99% of professional athletes. His priorities are very different. He married a teacher that isn't very physically attractive - he lived in a small home until he finally agreed to get a massive home in Newport Beach. He has no desire to leave California at this point. I think Mike Trout is still very good at baseball - but he isn't going anywhere, and if he did - it would be close to where he is now.
Hell , Mike trout can keep his current house . We will play a bunch of our games out vs LAA and OAK anyways. For the same reasons you say trout has different priorities, I think he could be amenable to playing here . It's not the glitz of NYY or BOS and though as a new player he would have his fair share or media obligations ... He might value that inconvenience less than the benefit of getting to play with yordan , Correa , and altuve . Not many other teams can offer him the chance to play with as many living legends . @Buck Turgidson I know it's insanity. I just happen to think it could actually work out OK for us . His bounce back this year is extremely encouraging. The idea of pairing him next to smith and/or Matthews for defense help is exciting . And most importantly he gets on base . I tend to think we are more than 1 player away. Trout might be the exception . If you have a lineup with Trout , pena , yordan , and paredes you can compete with anyone . Walker isn't a corpse either and might get juiced up to play with Mikey Next year you dump walker and switch paredes to first . You are gonna lose pena so you make your trade and try to get back another MLB player that is cheap / go with internal replacement at SS.
Nootbar would immediately become the Stros CF/ best OF which would improve the defense as well as the offense. If I had to give up Blubaugh for Nootbar I would do it in a heartbeat. An avg CF both offensively and defensively with control would be a win IMHO. I know it's been awhile since the Stros have had a competent CF on both offense/defense. So I get what you're saying. BTW, I bet you've wanted Crane to stand pat for awhile now?
