I don’t think Naylor can play LF so to me he only makes sense to target if Houston expects Yordan to miss the rest of the year. Pavin Smith is the guy from Arizona I think makes a lot of sense. I also wouldn’t mind Houston taking back Kendall Graveman if he’s cheap to add a RH late inning option, especially if they think Dubin will not be back.
I believe our play off second baseman is Mathews with Altuve/Rogers as a back up plan. Moving on to real needs is in order here, second base will not improve via trade.
Depends on who we are playing when we go on the road. They aren't going to put Altuve out there in LF in a park with a big OF. Likewise they won't want him at 2B with Framber on the mound. I haven't been a big Espada fan since he has taken over, but his use of Altuve on defense has been spot on
We have our second baseman of the future on the roster and Altuve does not belong in left field in the play offs. He is our primary DH also our back up second baseman and left fielder moving forward.
2025 if all position players are healthy: Altuve, Pena, Paredes, Smith, and Yordan are 100% locked in as everyday starters. Diaz, Walker, and Meyers are nearly everyday starters unless an upgrade is brought in. Dubon, Caratini, Melton, and Dezenzo can fill in the 9th starting spot depending on need, but none of them improve the lineup, they simply fill it out. Dubon is a classic neutral offensive player. He doesn't do anything particularly well but also isn't a zero anywhere. Playing Caratini with Diaz and Walker requires Yordan to play LF and Altuve to play 2B. Melton with Meyers and Smith requires Altuve to play 2b. DeZenzo with Walker and Smith requires Altuve to play 2B. The best version of this team allows Altuve to move around between 2b, LF, and DH. This team can only reach its potential if this can continue and that means Dubon or Matthews must get significant starts at 2b. Dubon doesn't move the needle and Matthews, not even considering growing pains, would lock in a lineup of only 1 LH bat unless Caratini catches, and Yainer is on the bench. This makes this team very susceptible to Detroit ( SP 2-5 are RH), Tor. (SP 1-4 are RH), TB ( all SP are RH), Bos. ( SP 2-5 are RH), Sea ( all SP are RH), and Tex ( only LF SP is likely #3-5) Only the Yankes, with SP #1 and 2 have multiple LH SP in a potential playoff rotation. A run to the World Series is much more difficult without another LH bat. And if that bat can play 2b, it is another huge benefit. 2026: this team starts behind the 8 ball if Altuve, Meyers, and Matthews are regular starters and Yordan is the DH. At some point and prodoect ir player brought in who hits left handed must force his way into a regular lineup spot.
We have to go get pitching now. The firm of Gusto, Gordon and Walter is about to run out of smoke and mirrors. Charlie Morton hopefully. Maybe Alcántara but he's performed worse and costs more probably.
IMHO, I don’t believe that there is a trade that will help this team more than getting healthy. Now when Yordan, Peña, Arighetti, Javier, Melton, Dezenzo, and others get back is going to determine if Dana Brown makes a move.
Trade deadline is in less than 3 weeks. He has to make a move now. Won't have time to wait for all those pitchers.
How about getting healthy and making a couple of trades? You think that might give the Stros a better chance at winning a championship?
Getting healthy would go a long way to putting them in better position to the post season. Depending on the trade and who it is for, then yes a trade could only help. However IMO the Astros don’t have the prospect capital to get a major player to make big difference.
Sure they have the prospect capital to get a deal done. You think Ullola/Blubaugh would get a deal done for O'Hearn? I do.
I don’t believe that will be enough for the Orioles to move O’Hearn to the Astros. Blubaugh has lost some steam this year, but I think a package for O’Hearn begins with Ullola.
O'Hearn is a rental. Ullola and a lesser prospect than Blubaugh probably would get the deal done IMHO.
When Yordan comes back he is the DH on almost an everyday basis Altuve isn't hitting the bench meaning he will be in LF/2B on a daily basis Espada has been great with his usage in the field so far Now obviously if Yordan doesn't come back then yea, Altuve is your DH for the rest of this season
I agree with this. Obviously we don't know which of our prospects Baltimore likes the most, but someone of Ullola's level plus a couple of lower level guys should be enough to get O'Hearn. Not only is he a rental, I don't think he is as highly thought of around baseball as some might think Certainly he is having a career year, but even so he is on pace for 19 HR and 60 RBI. So he isn't that Big Power bat most teams want Also, since June 1 he is hitting .209 with a .650 OPS, and that's a 6 week sample so he isn't exactly extending the awesome start he had to the season BUT one thing he has always done is hit RHP well. Now he hasn't usually hit it at the 893 OPS level he has this season (which has come down significantly over the past 6 weeks) but he has always had a high 700's OPS vs RHP. Not a stud, but solid. He is a guy who specifically fits our biggest need more than he fits what many other contenders are looking for A deadline that brought him, Soroka and a potential leverage reliever to the Stros would be knocking it out of the park for Dana
Let's pretend its 100% that both Yordan and Pena are healthy before September 1st and have plenty of time to shake any rust off leading into the postseason. Diaz, Walker, Altuve, Paredes, and Smith are not getting replaced. That leaves CF and 2B/LF Every viable CF who could start in the postseason is injured and 2 1/2 weeks till the deadline. This is the #1 priority and it only makes sense for the guy to be able to hit LH so he still has value if/when Meyers comes back. Options: Mullins, Friedl, Moniac, Tauchman, Marsh, N.Jones, etc. That gives us 8 of 13 players. Caratini and Dubon are on the team regardless which makes 10. Meyers has a spot if he's healthy Other options for last 2 or 3 spots: Melton, Dezenzo, Matthews, Chas, Salazar. I could see Matthews or Melton being 14th player in 3 or 5 game playoff series for running/defense or Salazar if the hitting is still weak and they need to use Caratini more. Additional trade acquisition: platoon LF and/or 2B or pure lefty bench bat. Options: Lux, O'Hearn, C.Santana, W.Castro. Take away: this team can't afford to not get a lefty hitting CF and a platoon/b-u 2b or LF would he nice too. If any of Short, Hummel, Trammell, or Guillorme are on the playoff roster, much less starting this team is in trouble.
How about Ramon Laureano? He's having a career year with a 140 wRC+ and the underlying metrics back it up. He has a higher wxOBA than anyone on the Astros (that includes Pena). Laureano's arm would definitely be an asset in left. He's only making 4 million this year, but the trade cost may be higher than you'd expect due to a 6.5 million club option for next season. I'd prefer to just roll with Melton than trade for Mullins. Hummel is currently rocking a nearly identical xwOBA to Mullins and most want him off the team.
