Price was included with Betts, if I recall. Price was pretty cooked so he was a bit of a detriment. I could be misremembering. Verdugo was a highly rated prospect, he just didn’t become a star.
I agree Meyers is what he is,l. You and I simply disagree what that is. He is at least average right now. He has a weak bat. There is much more to Baseball than just hitting. He is a good glove finalist. Fangraphs puts his defense as 7th best at CF. Baseball Savant has his fielding run value in 95th percentile and outs above average at 97th percentile. The fielding Bible has him 13th best CF (9th fielding but -4 for throwing) Baseball Savant also has his baserunning value at 88th percentile. The only way you can say he is below average is if you ignore everything except hitting. Superior fielding and baserunning make him at least average despite a weaker bat.
Mendoza bat/ throws like a girl/ avg at best base runner despite having above avg speed. The only thing he's above avg at is chasing balls down in the OF. It's not like a guy like Chas is bad at chasing balls down in the OF. I mean he only made one of the best catches in franchise history chasing a ball down in the OF. There are other CF's out there that would be upgrades too.
My Christmas list for the 2025 Astros 1) resign Bregman 2) trade for Robert 3) trade Pressly, Meyers, a couple of the out of option RPs, and possibly Caratini. 4) Sign Goldschmidt on a 1yr incentive laden contract with a vesting option. 5) Bring in a platoon LF or starting LF and an inning eating young SP in the trades.
Kevin Kiermaier was a 95 OPS+ guy for his career with 5 seasons above 100. He drew MVP votes one year. Won 4 gold gloves. Was like a 110 OPS+ guy for his first 4 seasons before a gradual fall off. Meyers is an 85 OPS+ guy his last two seasons. That's who he is. He's 28. He's never going to be close to Kiermaier. He's not as good defensively and nowhere near as good offensively. He's not likely to "settle in at a 90-95 area" when he hasn't touched numbers like that for a season since the shoulder injury. Look at his similarity numbers on baseball reference, it's guys like Nick Senzel and Adam Engel.
Feels like if we're throwing Singleton, Meyers, Dubon, Chas out there then we aren't serious anymore.
I can't imagine any scenario where that happens as everyday players. At least 2 of the current 4 dead spots will be addressed in some meaningful capacity. Nobody forsaw just how awful Chaz and Abreu would be last season. Our opening day lineup had Pena and Meyers 8/9, which is right where hitters of their level should be in a good lineup. A lot of things went wrong to end up fielding a lineup with 4 or 5 scrub hitters.
2025 Astros SET Diaz- starting catcher Altuve- starting 2b Pena - starting SS Tucker - starting RF Alvarez - starting DH Dubon - bench utility Likely Caratini - backup catcher Meyers - starting CF McCormick - 4th OF or starting LF Singleton- backup 1b or platoon 1b Whitcomb - Bench 1b/3b/LF Fill ins Dezenzo - starting 3b until replaced Cabbage - 4th/5th OF until replaced #1 priority: I would like to see a regular starting 3b brought in and Dezenzo get seasoning in AAA. #2 priority: If Cabbage is the 4th OF, this team is in trouble. I would like him replaced by an established MLBer. Ideally he hits RHP very well and Astros get a gold star if he can play CF as well as LF. #3 priority: If the Astros can manage to bring in a regular starting 1b, then they can trade/DFA Singleton and won't need to use 2 roster spots for one position. I like Jon but he is too limited. Caratini, Whitcomb, and Dubon can cover backup duties. #4 priority: If they can accomplish those 3 things, the next step is to find an upgrade in CF. If #2 happens and the Astros can find a CF that can hit RHP then either Meyers or Chas can be traded and the other one slides into 4th OF and backup or platoon CF.
2025 Astros Rotation Set Framber- #1 or #2 Brown -#2 or #1 Blanco - #3, 4, or 5 Arrighetti - #4, 5, or 6 Likely Garcia - #4, 5, or 6* if healthy Pie in the Sky McCullers - #3 or 4 if healthy and not in bullpen Javier - shouldn't count on him until 2026 Depth France - classic AAAA insurance Gusto - will get a chance when an injury happens Blubaugh- has more time than Gusto Gordon - nobody ever talks about him Unless Lance is magically healthy, this unit is very susceptible to mediocrity if any of the top 5 guys get hurt (and you know it will happen. It's just a matter of how many and how bad). *I see a scenario where, if the front office feels they have enough depth and guys like LMJ and France are healthy heading into Spring Training, that they put Garcia in the bullpen. Ideally I would like to see a solid #4-5 type innings eater or a young controllable starter brought in via free agency or a trade. Kikuchi would be great, but that probably means they did not spend on bats and that would be bad.
2025 Astros bullpen Set Hader - closer making too much to move Abreu - Has become #2 workhorse. Scott - proved himself and out of options Set - if not traded Pressly - set in 7th/8th inning unless traded Depth- out of options so can't be sent to AAA Dubin Martinez Ort Whitley Depth able to be optioned as needed Contreras Hernandez King Murfee Ortega Sousa
We ended the season with offensive deficiencies at 1B, LF, and CF. We are entering free agency with offensive holes at 3B, 1B, LF, and CF. SP depth is a problem now as well with Kikuchi and JV free agents. Brown has a lot of work to do.
