Bottom line the 3 guys given up were lower ceiling, higher floor guys. Kikuchi has a very high ceiling and won't be on any kind of innings limit. Joey brought energy and exuberance to this team that it now needs to find w/o him. But he also was limited due to the hole in his swing that MLB pitchers and catchers have been able to exploit. Pena has a lower floor, but also a much higher ceiling and could be a star. We will see. The more I think on it the more I like it. There were very few impact starting pitchers available and too many teams looking. The price had to be paid.
He's 33! This is his seventh season in the bigs with multiple different coaching staffs getting a chance to work with him. How can anyone with a straight face be discussing his ceiling, as if he's some untapped mystery? He is what he is, a guy with interesting stuff that has never had sustained success.
Since 2022, he has consistently struck out 10 per nine innings. Having legitimate swing-and-miss stuff is a good start. He has a 3.65 FIP this year - which would, IIRC, lead the Astros' staff. That's also encouraging. We've watched the Astros identify Ronel Blanco, a 30-year old who also had decent swing-and-miss stuff, as a starter who has realized his potential with this staff. I don't think the idea that Kikuchi could also maximize his potential here is outlandish.
We will see very soon. I trust the Astros to identify and maximize pitching talent. They have earned that benefit of the doubt.
We have seen a guy here that came on after age 30. Charlie Morton. Rich Hill is another example. I believe it could happen with Kikuchi. The problem is that we will not be the benefactors of it.
I don't see how Kikuchi has a very high ceiling. Hope it works out though and his luck turns around, I look forward to that now more than anything. At least we finally have an Asian player on the team, even if it's only for another 2 or so months. Waiting on that hitter and another pen arm.
KiCoochy has to do well the next 2 months for his next contract except he will do it at the Astros expense. Watch him in 2025 sign with the Rangers, Mariners, or Angels. At least the Stros will know where to eat sushi, not HEB.
This This is where I'm at, it's the price to be paid for counting on a couple of pitchers coming off of TJ not being able to contribute this year. This should have been addressed last off-season and this is the price to be paid for Dana miscalculating this situation. I don't like this deal, but Dana was backed into a corner of his own doing by neglecting pitching last off season. Hopefully he learns from his mistakes.
Disagree on Loperfido I think that "hole in his swing" makes him a low floor guy, if he doesn't figure it out he could be really bad over the course of a full season But his power is legit, if he can figure out even to a small extent how to improve his contact, he could be a star. He also has the ability to be a plus plus defender. I'm not saying he will or won't, but his ceiling is very high The more I think about the deal I still don't like it because Kikuchi is a rental. We have him for two months. The ONLY way it makes sense is if we add a stud LF and/or 1B and just say we are ALL IN to win another World Series this year. That's the ONLY way
How quickly can they do that. Definitely didn't happen over night with Blanco. We have two months We needed innings for sure and I HOPE Kikuchi turns into a stud But for now we gave up Bloss, Loperfido and Wagner for a guy who wouldn't start a playoff game ahead of Brown, Framber or Blanco. Could that change in two months, sure. But right now he is clearly our 4th. That's a lot to give up for a rental 4th
I get this and hope Dana can find a nugget in this tight pitching market. One things for sure Kikuchi has the stuff to be much more than a SP 4-5.
But you’re not getting to the playoffs without him. They are in a fight to make the postseason and their second-best pitcher is going to set his career high in innings pitched with a month plus the postseason to go; the third best pitcher is going to shatter his career high in innings pitched soon; the fourth starter has a 5+ ERA; I don’t know who the fifth starter is right now; and you’re counting on a 41-year-old and a guy coming back from Tommy surgery to fill out rotation. So they are going to need every available arm if they want to make the postseason.
At this point they would be better off not making the playoffs w/ Bloss, Loperfido, and Wagner than losing in the WC round w/ Kikuchi. Unless a couple of the bottom of the lineup guys suddenly become dependable sluggers.
