Use all cash on framber And to me , Correa at 2b and paredes at 3b is probably the better defensive combination if paredes recovers over the off-season . There's a nice symbolism for Correa taking over for altuve Anywho , our 2026 infield looks stacked . Especially if walker can keep up his recent numbers and regress to the mean of his last couple of years in AZ I know there are some myers fanboys and I do appreciate his awesome season . I feel like I can't count on it again. Can Matthews try CF I'm so tired of noodle arms in the OF Cams is OK , but not truly plus from what I've seen We were spoiled with marisnick and springer and reddick
I’m not going 5 years because that’s one year behind what’s daily foreseeable instead I want to talk about 2028 (but I think our window is open at least through 2030 now just don’t know with who/ but trust Dana and the boys to draft, sign and develop). 2028 lineup is 4 year away and already makes sense with more or less proven major league players: Diaz, Correa (I bet he moves to first), Matthews, short stop, 3B, Altuve, Melton, smith, Alvarez. how many teams can say- they are pretty confident they will have 7 average or better players 4 years out? Without it being speculation or the like? Arms: Brown, Ullola, Arrighetti, blanco, Wesneski, blubaugh, Hader, Sousa, dubin, king I have zero doubt the Astros will continue to develop pitchers. Having 7 guys you can justifiably count on that play every day and 10 arms that seem like good bets (to the extent that any pitchers are) is amazing.
A couple things: 1) Great work, a point I’m making elsewhere as well. Also- 2027 is almost as set in stone as 2026- it’s really awesome 2) if Paredes looks ready Or Matthews breaks out/ I expect them to trade Dubon possibly. No need to pay him Arb 4 at 8-9M when you have Urias- that will give us more money to play either Chas is almost a definite trade or DFA. If I’m right about that here you go (salary cap numbers) Benefits-22 Diaz-5 Walker-20 Altuve-25 Peña- 9 Paredes-12 Correa- 24 Alvarez-17 Myers-7 Smith-1 Urias-5 Sanchez-7 Matthews or melton- 1M not in lineup- backup catcher. total of benefits and non arms guys: 155 arms: Hader-20 LMJ- 17 Javier-13 Brown- 7.5 Abreu-7 Garcia-4 Okert-2 Sousa-2 Minimum: 1M each Arrighetti, Ullola, blanco, Wesneski, Dubin, King, Blubaugh, Walter, Gordon, France arms- 80M (Wesneski and blanco get their 1M on IL but some of the other guys are Prorated on the 1M section total: 235 CBT- 244. I might have gotten some of those arb numbers a little off but directionally they are correct. DFA Chas, trade Dubon- gibe Caratini 1/9 and you are basically dead balls on the cap and shouldn’t need to do anything at the deadline. I will say this- I don’t think we need a ToR guy but if we did- this would be my plan… Trade Melton and LMJ for a mid level prospect (tell LMJ it’s either that or DFA). Melton has enough surplus value someone would eat 1/17 from Lance. Trade Yordan for a top 25 ish- 2 top 76-100 prospects if you can get them. Plus a couple lotto tickets. that would open up 35M for your top of the rotation guy and it would be a way to sort of even out your holes for 2028 and beyond. We didn’t need him this year to be the best team in the AL. this only works if you can get that level of prospects if he comes back and hits. I wouldn’t do this, but if I needed a TOR guy and could make that kind of deal that’s they way I’d try to do it.
