Especially when you consider there are only two positions that make sense for us to upgrade and one is 2B where the trade market doesn't look promising. A lot can change between now and the deadline, but if Altuve and Walker are still hitting like this, something has to be done.
Without knowing - or even looking at - the deadline market, I'm going to guess landing an impact bat in LF is much easier than 2B. Every team has IFs - but these aren't necessarily *big* IFs... if Altuve & Walker can stabilize (both have track records); if Yordan can get healthy; if Pena & Meyers are legit (probably the two biggest IFs though I'm starting to believe in Pena); if Smith continues to get better - by the deadline, this could be a *REALLY* good offense, 1-8.
I think the Astros would pull the trigger on Lux for those two prospects. Lux makes very little this year and is arbitration eligible next year. He is crushing righties - lots of doubles and is hitting outside of the Reds bandbox stadium. He can play second as well.
Matthews also has incredible bat speed and can generate it quickly on inside pitches... so that gives him a larger margin for error than 95% of big league hitters. If he can improve pitch recognition even marginally - he will improve contact unless he decides to sell out for power at all costs. I know that the Murphy (PC) of all people has worked with Matthews using a heavier bat and choking up to teach him the need to pick up the ball earlier on the plane from the mound to the plate.
Agree on these two targets. They both can hit just about anywhere in the order as well. Both are solid at drawing walks and would look very nice in the two hole - allowing the heart of the order to be extended.
Not sure what we would have to give up, but Triantos is blocked by Hoerner in Chicago and would be an instant starter at 2B for us if we could acquire him
I am not so sure about that. I think they would ideally like to be able to play Altuve in the outfield, some at second and some at DH. Adding someone like Donovan or Lux would be a God send for the Astros, because it would allow them to rest Altuve more and still have a quality player at second base and more options in the outfield. If the Astros fail to add a solid second basemen, then we may see Altuve out there in the playoffs. We can question his glove, but the offense just isn't good enough as configured.
Walker had a great first half in 2024 but was injured in the second half and had an OPS of sub .700. He has had some tough months in the past - we will just have to wait and see. He has had a rough last 10 games or so - but the 20 or so games before that, he had an OPS of over .800. I think even if Walker and Altuve start hitting - the Astros are going to target a bat because you seldom have everyone hitting at once. A theoretical line up of: Pena Lux Paredes Alvarez Walker Altuve Diaz Meyers This line up is weird, but it is very deep.
I understand Altuve has played 20% of his games at 2b, and even 25% in May. When I say "Moving Altuve back to 2b" I refer to him playing at least 50% of his games there. And I see zero percent chance of that happening. The team moved him because he is terrible there and will cost them wins. He embraced the idea, has been energized and happy. They can't go back on that now. The simply will not treat him that disrespectfully. You say I talk in absolutes too often and maybe I do, but in this case I would be willing to bet substantial and meaningful money that he plays fewer than 73 games at 2b this year which would be 50% -1 of the rest of the games this year. It just does not look like anything they are remotely considering or SHOULD do.
Altuve is not hitting. They also can not bench him. At least not unless there is a physical issue requiring it. The pitching and defense has been the hallmark of this team. I don't see them risking that and making Altuve's negative impact on this team even more obvious by putting him in a spot where he gets more than twice the defensive opportunities. They made Altuve an OF and he has worked hard over hundreds of hours to learn the position. They won't just pull the plug on that mid-season.
An off-the wall shakeup blockbuster: Giants get: SP Framber Valdez 1B Christian Walker OF Chas McCormick $5M 2025 $5M 2026 $5M 2027 Astros get: 1B Bryce Eldridge (mlb.com SF #1 prospect) 1B/OF Lamont Wade P Justin Verlander OF Dakota Jordan (SF #6 prospect) IF Walker Martin (SF #22 prospect) Astros get another cornerstone prospect in Eldridge while backfilling Walker and Valdez with Wade (who hits lefthanded) and Verlander. They also get two pretty high upside prospects in Jordan and Martin who would slot among the top 15 in their system. They get out from Walker’s contract and get at least some value out of McCormick. Giants get another ace to have a ToR that can compete in the NL playoff series. And it’s reasonable to say the only meaningful player they’re giving up is Eldridge, which they backfill with Walker. Projected Astros playoff roster: SS Pena 3B Paredes DH Alvarez LF Altuve C Diaz 1B Dezenzo RF Smith CF Meyers 2B Rodgers/Matthews Bench: Dubon, Wade, Caratini, Melton SP: Brown, Verlander, Blanco, 1 of Arrighetti/McCullers/Garcia/Javier/Blubaugh/Ullola RP: Hader, Abreu, King, Okert, Sousa, Dubin, Whitley, Gusto, Ort/tbd This would come down to the idea of Houston really believing in Eldridge as an elite big league hitter and believing they can win playoff games with mediocre SP in games Brown doesn’t start by riding their elite bullpen every game (more days off in playoffs), along with SF really wanting to go for it this season and believing Walker will rebound.
I don’t think the Astros trade Framber if we are close to contention in the division, but I love the trade and would do it if I was in charge.
Yeah it’s not realistic from a standpoint of likelihood. But I like it in terms of its fair value and impact to improve both teams. Getting JV back would probably help casual fans swallow the idea of trading Framber, and more hard core fans would understand the impact of adding a prospect like Eldridge (as well as dumping Walker’s contract). The net win cost to 2025 is probably a max of 2 regular season wins, but likely closer to 0 or 1, while it would add several wins over the next 5 seasons.
Only problem is..... There is no heart of the order at present time. Sorry for the negativity. Just kind of down on the STROS right now.
Simply put, Walker and Altuve need to be hitting 7-8th in the lineup instead of 2-4th. Until these guys are moved down in the lineup or they start to hit the Stros will continue to struggle to score runs.
Potential SP targets if Blanco goes down long term: Mike Soroka Andrew Heaney Zach Littell Cal Quantrill Charlie Morton Kyle Freeland German Marquez Antonio Senzatella
I'd rather call the Marlins about Weathers or buy low on Alcantara. Maybe you can squeeze a middle infielder out of them too. Hell, call Milwakee and see if they'd move some young dude that they don't have room for . . . Rando mid pitchers don't do it for me. Might as well push AA and AAA guys up. Find a bottom feeder with some good young guys.
