Starters 6 F Valdez*, H Brown, S Arrighetti, H Wesneski, R Blanco, T Ivey If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Add one starter to reduce the workload. My pick is Ivey to begin with but switching out 6th starters seems likely. Relievers 7 J Hader*, B Abreu, L VanWey, F Whitley, R Gusto, B King*, L McCullers Pen is shortened by one to add a starter. I feel very confident of the first four. Less so of the others. There is a ton of depth in the minors to go through. This may be the only place we should be keeping an eye out for a deadline pick up. It will have to be done without adding significant payroll but should be doable. Catchers 2 Y Diaz & V Caratini bench. No reason to worry over these. Infielders 5 C Walker, Rodgers or Matthews, J Pena, I Parades, & Mathews or Rodgers on the bench. Extending Rodgers at second If he is playing like a star could be a no brainer. Bringing up Mathews to replace him at second if he is not could be just as smart. Whichever one of them not playing at second is pushed to the bench and Dubon goes to the trade market. Dubon is too expensive to play again next season but should have plenty of trade value at the break. Hitters 2 Y Alvarez* DH & Z Dezenzo bench bat. No reason to worry over these either but I would not be opposed to bringing up another bench bat if Dezenzo is not performing well. Outfielders 4 J Altuve, J Meyers, C Smith*, J Melton* Melton comes up & plays from the bench to start with gradually playing more and more at center field. Meyers remains in the outfield mostly on the bench and keeps enough time in center to play there as need arises. McCormick may have some trade value to take advantage of at the break but may be worth hanging on to in case of an injury to a corner outfielder. Decision should be made later.
In 101 AAA plate appearances, Matthews has 4 xbh and 35 strikeouts. I will be shocked if he turns things around enough to contribute this year. Melton, maybe if Meyers comes crashing back to earth.
I actually am hopeful of the majority of the lineup. There is no doubt that Altuve, Paredes, Yordan, Walker, and Diaz will hit. It's crazy how an adjustment to his stance, and 3 games can change my mind about Smith, lol. Meyers is swinging at strikes. He K'd 3 times in game #2. Since then he has 5 BB and 5 K's in 31 PAs and is on pace for a 7 WAR season. I'll be thrilled with 3. Rodgers has shown signs. Pena has shown signs. I still don't like the bench. Dezenzo needs to be playing every day in Sugar Land if he isn't starting 60+% of the games. And it looks like there is no place for him. The backup middle infielder needs to be good vs RHP. The 4th OF needs to be good vs RHP.
I am more optimistic about where it looks like we will stand at the break than I have been in many seasons. You all seem to be too. Looking for a bench guy and a reliever is a great position to be in. It is a long way off and anything can happen but feeling pretty good right now. My biggest gripe is management at this point but that is something I always b**** about.
Isn't Taylor Trammell injured and potentially coming back? This might explain why Dezenzo is not in Sugar Land.
If the Astros have seen enough from him to give him a chance, then this does make sense. But it would make more sense for Trammell to replace Chas on the roster, than Dezenzo due to positional versatility. Astros probably don't want Dubon or Caratini starting at 1b (or 3b in Dubon's case) if Walker needs a day or 2 off due to a little ding.
If neither Meyers nor McCormick can manage a 700 OPS, then Melton should get more than pinch running opportunities.
