1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

2025 Hypothetical Astros Trades Thread

Discussion in 'Houston Astros' started by Snake Diggit, Apr 9, 2025.

  1. Genericbaseballfan

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2025
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    217
    I'd like to Ullola actually throw strikes at some point in his career before we annoint him a starter. His best BB/9 at any level is 5.16. Dubin might be as likely to be a starter as Ullola right now. Pecko probably has a better chance.
     
    raining threes and Snake Diggit like this.
  2. CisBuds4U

    CisBuds4U Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2009
    Messages:
    6,255
    Likes Received:
    2,249
    Where is Wesneski on your list? Don’t we have him under team control for a few more years ? I believe there is some hope for him to be a middle rotation guy ?
     
    raining threes likes this.
  3. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2012
    Messages:
    15,062
    Likes Received:
    24,642
    He had Tommy John surgery and so will be out most of 2026
     
    Wulaw Horn and CisBuds4U like this.
  4. SamCassell

    SamCassell Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 1999
    Messages:
    9,524
    Likes Received:
    2,411
    There's a lot of hope and wishes thrown out with these 2026 pitching tier projections. Every season, posters here talk about an excess of SP and it not being a priority and every year we've seen the guys who were part of those projections get injured or otherwise not produce.

    What I know if that Framber produces every year, and is probably gone next year. I know that Hunter has become one of the absolute best starters in baseball. Everything else is a hopefully or maybe.

    The Arrighetti hope is based on an exceptional month of August last year where he pitched at a level he never approached before, or since. I'll hold off on anointing him a blue blood type until I'm sure of his health and his ability to avoid walks. That's not going to work in the postseason. He's got a tier 1 ceiling and a tier 5 floor.
     
    everyday eddie and Snake Diggit like this.
  5. The Beard

    The Beard Member

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2012
    Messages:
    11,408
    Likes Received:
    7,185
    I think it's more likely that Dana goes and gets someone that NONE of us are talking about right now than it is that he goes and gets the obvious candidate. Kind of like Kikuchi last year.

    Our biggest need is obviously a bat that can crush RHP, but that's also a need that pretty much every playoff contender needs even if it isn't as pressing of a need as it is for us. That still means competition from organizations that have more prospect capital than we do.

    One guy I would love to see us take a shot on is Mike Soroka. Yes, our SP depth has been better than any of us expected and with the injured guys possibly returning, it doesn't seem like a Huge Need...But I see Soroka as a guy that has pretty elite stuff and pretty poor results. The kind of guy our pitching coaches have turned into studs in the past. Soroka had the one great year early (19) then missed a couple years with injuries. Since he has come back his results haven't been good. BUT, his K% this year is over 26, his BB% is 6.4, both of which are really good.

    He has also been excellent against the first 18 guys he faces in games, giving up less than a baserunner per inning and 65 K's in 53 innings.

    As a rental with an ERA north of 5 after his last blow up start, it wouldn't take much to get him away from Washington and he could be a guy our pitching staff has great results with
     
  6. leroy

    leroy Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2002
    Messages:
    27,385
    Likes Received:
    11,267
    FIFY.
     
  7. Wulaw Horn

    Wulaw Horn Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2018
    Messages:
    6,083
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Tier 4 floor. 5 is exaggeration. We saw him pitch and hold his own and that’s likely the worst version we will ever see.
     
  8. Htown Legend

    Htown Legend Member

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2018
    Messages:
    1,803
    Likes Received:
    6,139
    Jim Bowden did a Q & A on the trade deadline. Here are the Astros relevant questions he responded to:


    21. What would the Astros have to give up to the Rays for Brandon Lowe? Great fit for us as a left-handed bat who plays second base and is (under team control) through 2026. Do you think Tampa Bay would take Chas McCormick and one of either Walker Janek or Brice Matthews? — Todd L.

    I think you could get Lowe for either Janek or Matthews. The Rays have been looking for a long-term solution at catcher, and Janek, a first-round pick last year out of Sam Houston, could end up being the answer for them.

    It would be a steep price to pay for the often-injured Lowe. But the Astros can win the World Series this year, and that type of trade could put them over the top.

    22. Hey Jim. I’m a huge Astros fan. Here’s my trade proposal:

    Houston trades 2B/IF Brice Matthews, SP AJ Blubaugh and OF Jacob Melton to the Marlins for COF Jesús Sánchez and SP Edward Cabrera — Jon M

    I think this one makes a lot of sense for both teams. Great trade idea!
     
  9. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2012
    Messages:
    15,062
    Likes Received:
    24,642
    I would do Janek for Lowe in a heartbeat. And that other trade seems fair, but only if Miller/Murphy think Cabrera is an ace.
     
  10. Wulaw Horn

    Wulaw Horn Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2018
    Messages:
    6,083
    Likes Received:
    7,467
    Chas and Janek for Lowe is do in a heartbeat.
     
  11. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2000
    Messages:
    22,868
    Likes Received:
    12,646
    seems like a very fair trade if Tampa is selling, but I don't think they will until the offseason since they have have one more option year for him at a really low price.
     
    raining threes likes this.
  12. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2012
    Messages:
    15,062
    Likes Received:
    24,642
    The resulting playoff roster from making both of these trades would be amazing:

    SS Pena
    3B Paredes
    DH Alvarez
    LF Altuve
    2B Lowe
    1B Walker
    RF Smith
    C Diaz
    CF Meyers
    Bench: Dubon, Caratini, Sanchez, Hummel
    SP: Brown, Valdez, Cabrera, McCullers
    RP: Hader, Abreu, King, Sousa, Okert, Javier, Garcia, Arrighetti, Walter

    The farm would be pretty decimated at the top, particularly on the position player side. Top 10 prospects would be (in no particular order): Ullola, Brito, Forcucci, Pecko, Nezuh, K Alvarez, Joseph Sullivan, their 2025 1st round pick, Luis Baez, and Chase Jaworsky. Farm would still be plenty deep in 2nd and 3rd tier prospects.
     
    raining threes likes this.
  13. IdStrosfan

    IdStrosfan Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2021
    Messages:
    8,810
    Likes Received:
    11,148
    There are additional benefits to having an hitter stand in the lefty batter's box besides straight production.

    Pitchers throw different pitches to lefties than righties. Not all pitches are always on.

    Pitchers have to focus differently, as they are looking at a player to the left of the plate rather than the right if the plate.

    Lefty hitters generally have different "hot spots" than righty hitters. Pitchers must throw to different windows.

    Anytime you can force a pitcher to think and adjust and keep him out of routine it is a positive.
     
  14. IdStrosfan

    IdStrosfan Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2021
    Messages:
    8,810
    Likes Received:
    11,148
    Agree. Rays are in the playoff race. They aren't giving up a top contributor without getting 2025 help back.

    It would be like the Astros trading Framber for prospects.
     
    rockbox and Snake Diggit like this.
  15. Htown Stros

    Htown Stros Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2015
    Messages:
    6,957
    Likes Received:
    9,724
    That's why we are sending them Chas too. Just need their GM to think like a couple people on this board lol
     
    IdStrosfan likes this.
  16. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2012
    Messages:
    15,062
    Likes Received:
    24,642
    While this is very likely true, the Rays do not typically operate like that. They tend to almost always go for maximum total value even when it comes at the expense of an immediate contender. They also have a lot of positional versatility and offensive depth in their roster that would mitigate losing Lowe; Morel, Mead, Caballero, and Carson Williams could all play 2B.

    I’m not saying Lowe will be traded, but I do think he is available for the right return despite the fact that Tampa is contending.
     
    H-Town Info and Htown Legend like this.
  17. Genericbaseballfan

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2025
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    217
    I feel like this year's deadline is shaping up to be similar to 2022 for the Astros (hopefully with the same season result). The farm system doesn't have a lot breakthrough players who look like they could headline an impact deal. Their most valuable expendable assets are likely the young backend starters or maybe a bullpen arm, but the Astros might not want to part with pitching depth, and rebuilding teams probably would perfer more upside than MLB ready 5th starters. Injuries (Melton, Pecko, Nezuh, Dezenzo) and performances ranging from mediocre (Ullola, Jaworsky, Janek, Brito, Treadwell) to poor (Baez, Blubaugh, Gomez) took the wind out of the sails for some the higher upside prospects the Astros have. Cam Smith and the lawfirm of rookie pitchers clearly have provided a ton of value this season, so it's not like the minor league system has failed them, but if I'm the Marlins/Pirates/Nats, I'm not sure who in the system I'm really excited to acquire. Even Brice Matthews is whiffing at a frightening amount of pitches in the zone for as good of a season as he's having.

    The biggest breakouts on the hitting side are Will Bush and Joseph Sullivan, and they still are more likely role players than building blocks. Bryce Mayer is probably one of their most valuable prospects, and he was a 16th round pick a year ago. Caden Powell has a high ceiling, but is a long way from hitting major league pitching. It's hard to imagine Kevin Alvarez being dealt from the DSL. I think Mayer, Sullivan, Powell, Santa, Bush, and Whitcomb are the most likely prospects to be traded, but I'm not sure a combination of them gets you a middle of the order bat or a rock solid playoff starter.
     
    Snake Diggit and Bregatron like this.
  18. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2000
    Messages:
    22,868
    Likes Received:
    12,646
    It would have to be a ransom in return since they would get a fair amount for him in the off season also. We would have to give them prospects and something they could use now.
     
  19. Snake Diggit

    Snake Diggit Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2012
    Messages:
    15,062
    Likes Received:
    24,642
    https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...ffer-paul-skenes-ronald-acuna-jr-byron-buxton

    Interesting article on espn that aligns with the theme of this thread, although none of their hypotheticals involve the Astros. The Tigers/Pirates Skenes trade did intrigue me. Man Pittsburgh could build an absolute juggernaut if they were willing to deal Skenes, Keller, Cruz, Heaney, Bednar, and Reynolds this year. If Detroit was willing to do McConigle, Clark, Rainer, and Jobe, that’s the core of a contender. Add in another 4-6 elite prospects they could get from those other 4 guys, plus existing young players like Horwitz, Gonzales, Hayes, Falter, Chandler, Jones, their other prospects and their 2025 draft picks, and they might finally be positioned to actually contend. But of course they won’t do it.

    The article after that one on espn is stories from GMs about crazy stuff that has happened when making trades. Theres several Astros references in there and it’s an interesting read.
     
  20. Htown Stros

    Htown Stros Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2015
    Messages:
    6,957
    Likes Received:
    9,724
    If Pittsburgh just kept Skenes and actually spent some damn money they could build an absolute juggernaut lol but of course they won't do that either
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now