Updated injury timelines: Whitley is throwing his final rehab innings tonight and should be back in Houston’s bullpen this weekend. Ort is also throwing a rehab inning tonight. My guess is he will be back in Houston early next week. McCullers is expected to make 1 more rehab start and join the Astros for their series against the Royals Apr 25-27. I had expected him be back in time to start at home the previous series against Toronto. Shawn Dubin is joining AAA this weekend to start his rehab. He will probably be back in Houston in early May. Other expected returns: Leon: May (AAA) Arrighetti: late May Trammell: June? Javier: August France: 2026 Garcia: 2026/never
The Astros lost one season of Kyle Tucker at $16,500,000. The Astros netted a 4 WAR third baseman to replace Alex Bregman under 3 years of team control. The Astros netted a pitcher that at worst can be a very good set up man, if not a rotation starter under 5 years of control. The Astros netted an outfielder that they have under team control for 6 plus years. The trade has the possibility of being good without Smith even panning out.
The Astros put emphasis on running this off season - makes sense, it is a way to potentially increase production internally. One of the criticisms I have had in the past has been Meyers pedestrian base stealing and bunting. Someone like him cannot control his arm strength and only has so much control over hitting - but he could do other things to make himself valuable. I am really glad to see him running and being smart about it. If a few guys start stealing bases, it can make the Astros offense more dangerous.
If he’s able to replicate last year’s overall numbers but with 25 steals instead of 11, he’s probably a 2.5 win player and a very solid 9 hole hitter. I’ve said it many times before, but if Houston can get their lineup to the point where their 7-8-9 is Diaz-Pena-Meyers, and the 6 guys ahead of them are clearly better, they will be in good shape. I feel really good about Walker and Smith eventually rounding into solid 5-6 hitters, and Alvarez, Paredes, and Altuve are fine 2-4. So really a lefthanded hitting 2B who gets on base at a very high clip is the missing piece. Brendan Donovan really fits in that role.
It would be really nice if Whitley could come through and give the Astros a very good and deep bullpen with: Hader/Abreu/King/Okert/Whitley/Gusto The rotation at this point looks rock solid at the top with Valdez and Brown. Blanco has had some bad luck - and then you have McCullers, Arrighetti and Wiesneski. These guys are not for the most part big names, but the depth is exceptional and the talent is not overall old - plus the minor leagues has 3-4 high ends arms.
Id love for Chicago to do well and lose on stats to miss the playoffs. Cubs heartbreak makes me happy. And this has nothing to do with Bregman. It's ANDYSERALOL from around 2005. His hacking the Astros board is perhaps the reason MLB.com ended it's fanboards.
Those 6 plus Ort and either Dubin or VanWey could be an elite group. And like you said the rotation is in good shape if 2-3 of the mid/back/depth guys (McCullers, Blanco, Arrighetti, Wesneski, Blubaugh, Gordon, Ullola, etc.) pan out. The pitching is where it needs to be. Offense is at least one big bat away but not in terrible shape.
That must be the most illogical take I've ever heard. So every season that doesn't have 100 wins and world series is disappointing and we should trade our best players away for prospects? I can't take you seriously.
I wonder if the Angels are ready to dump Trout yet? I like the idea of getting him for RF at a discount (sending him with $) and him thriving here till the end of his contract. I'd be OK with helping them tank.
Walker is bringing up some Abreu PTSD. The strikeouts are concerning. Diaz is looking better but I still wished he developed some plate discipline.
Interesting season so far. We are the April 1 game away from a perfect Soldier Season WLWLWLWLWLWLWLWLWLW.
I'd rather him develop here as long as he is getting playing time. If he develops in the minors, he has to adjust all over again when he's called up.
I am sorta getting used to Houston operating a home for aging first basemen but I would not be opposed to bringing in a youngster next time it comes around.
We were so spoiled with Yuli. I think we be forever cursed until he retires and we have a ceremony for him inducting him into our hall of fame.
