My draw jopped (jaw dropped) when I saw this scrolling the news items. I think we will come out winners on this trade albeit maybe not immediate results. Hate to see Tuck go, though. I still think he could have a MVP season if he stays healthy. But, where does this leave Bregman? Is this throwing in the towel?
They got off to a ridiculously bad start while continuing to play the worst player in the MLB, Jose Abreu. Absolutely were a contender heading into the playoffs...their Vegas odds to win the AL were right behind the Yankees. Your boy Tucker is largely the reason they didn't advance to play Cleveland, who IMO they would have beaten.
I don’t think so. I think there’s an argument we should be more aggressive now with Bregman. Problem is, if NYY or some other teams comes in and trumps what we’re comfortable with (something completely out of HOU’s control), then it becomes a moot point. And if that happens, then I think we need to consider moving Framber. the fact that Bregman has not signed yet I think is good for HOU fans that want him to return. That means no other team is near whatever price it is Boras wants. but I don’t think this trading and of itself precludes a Bregman reunion.
This is a terrible trade for the Astros. You didn't get nearly enough for a top 5/10 player in this game. Dana Brown is systematically destroying this team. No 1st baseman, a marginal 3rd baseman, no outfielders to speak of (Yordan is a DH). Parades OPS+ was 82 last year. You might as well bring back Abreu while you're at it. Sheesh. The Astros will be a 90 game loser by 2026.
Tucker is a rental. This isn’t Tucker for 3 years…this is Tucker for exactly 1 season and no more…then you get to look at the free agent market post-Soto.
https://archive.ph/0qlcT Full paywall article from ESPN https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/st...b-offseason-grades-free-agency-trade-analysis Astros grade: C+ You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to assume that this deal means the end of Alex Bregman's time in Houston. Paredes looks like his near-term replacement and Smith perhaps following suit down the line. Yes, there's a possibility that Houston retains Bregman and Paredes becomes the first baseman the Astros need. Even if that were to happen though, the cost of losing Tucker is just too much to bear. For me, this is really about 2025 because on an Astros team with a narrowing window of contention, they need to be valuing the near term in advance of an eventual reset. The minor-league system is in need of a major restocking. Meanwhile, the eroding big league roster is anchored by a Hall of Famer in Jose Altuve who is reaching his mid-30s, and a devastating hitter in Yordan Alvarez who has bad knees. One by one, the greats of the dying Astros dynasty are departing. There is no combination of moves the Astros are likely to make from here that will strengthen their outlook for 2025 in the wake of dual departures by Bregman (most likely) and Tucker (gone). I still have Houston as slight favorites in the AL West, but their margin for error is gone, and their competitors are still adding. Trade models do sign off on this swap for the Astros because of the combined 10 controllable seasons Houston is obtaining for a walk year player in Tucker. In fact, the machine at Baseball Trade Values flat out rejected it because the Cubs' return was too light. I get that and can't refute the math. That's why I give a decent grade to a move I wouldn't have made. Why wouldn't I have made it? You can't really project championship probability and that's where I think the Astros have suffered the most, because their most likely championship season in the near future is 2025 and that season is taking a hit here. It's also where the Cubs have gained the most. Smith is a long-term solution, especially if his third base defense improves, and it'll be interesting to see what Wesneski does in the Houston pitching program. Paredes is a serviceable player, but a step down from Bregman with both the bat and the glove. He's also five years younger so it is reasonable to wonder if that gap will persist much longer. In terms of marginal value, he's going to be considerably more cost efficient than Bregman, and that's without knowing the latter's eventual contract. That's really what this comes down to, though: The Astros have been carrying large payrolls and it could simply be time to become more efficient in the accounting department. If so, that's understandable but it's not a championship formula. Not in the short term, where the focus ought to be right now in Houston. -- Doolittle
He is introverted. The fractured leg ruined the Trust from Kyle Tucker. Never trusting the Astros Medical and Front Office after that.
I wonder... if we sacrificed another title by doing this... OKC could have held on to Harden one more year to keep their trio together...
