Astros exhibit faith in their young center fielders and improve before the deadline.
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Hello everyone, this is Ari, just out of my trade deadline cave where I’ve been texting several MLB sources for the past week or so to attempt to figure out JUST WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE ASTROS AT THE DEADLINE!?
A few weeks ago, James Click informed us that Click intended to be violent and that Jim Crane had requested that he be hostile. He fulfilled. TThe Astros acquired no more than an extra starting pitcher and a center fielder with extremely particular value, along with a few prospects who were unlikely to make a major impact for the Astros very soon, in exchange for filling three of their four obvious voids by the deadline.
To put it plainly, the Astros ultimately had:
Trey Mancini is a dynamic right-handed bat who has some left field and first base experience.
– Christian Vazquez, a backup/platoon catcher and former Red Sox starter, has a World Series ring.
– Last but not least, Will Smith, a dominant left-hander in the bullpen who played a major role in Houston’s elimination in the World Series last year.
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READ MORE: Trey Mancini hits a home run in his first Astros start since being traded (click2houston.com)
WHAT WAS LEFT OUT
I won’t go into detail about the three prospects because none of them were ranked in the consensus Top 10 or filled a position that the Astros needed filled right away.
– Jose Siri, center fielder, who was sent to Triple-A after showing off a home run against the New York Mets and losing favor with the Astros.
Jake Odorizzi was expendable due to his inconsistent play and Houston’s superior starting rotation.
ANALYSIS
Trey Mancini will see some action in left field while Michael Brantley gradually (and I mean gradually) recovers from a shoulder ailment. This will reduce Yordan Alvarez’s field exposure and Chas McCormick’s (somehow?) worse defensive position. In addition, Mancini will get to play first base occasionally, replacing Yuli Gurriel, who has had a difficult season overall.
Finally providing Houston with a high leverage lefty option, Will Smith relieves Smith of his less than ideal closer duty. Although Smith was having a poor season in Atlanta, Houston has a reputation for selecting the best new pitchers.
Last but not least, Christian Vazquez extends the lineup on days when Martin Maldonado isn’t catching by adding a better bat. Vazquez was an inexpensive rental and is a considerably more reliable option than either of Houston’s prospects, Yainer Diaz or Korey Lee.
The three guys that were acquired are not expected to be around for much longer than this season, but Smith has a $13 million team option, which is almost as much as closer Ryan Pressly makes. It’s improbable that Smith’s option will be accepted.
Mancini has a *mutual* $10 million option until 2023, but it’s too soon to predict what will happen there. Given that Michael Brantley and Yuli Gurriel will both be free agents after 2022, Houston needs depth at both of the positions that Mancini plays. In 2023, Gurriel would be 39 and Brantley would be 36. Given Mancini’s talent and clubhouse fit, a reunion with him might be in order.
If not, J.J. Matijevic and Chas McCormick would see a lot of playing time in 2023 unless Houston makes a run at Josh Bell and a starter outfielder in the free agent market.
Jake Meyers, who has been playing poorly, and Chas McCormick, who has been playing well lately and is a better center fielder than left fielder based on imprecise fielding metrics, will share the center field position.
There weren’t many choices available for center field (Royals OF Michael A. Taylor would have been a good fit), but Houston opted to acquire a lefty reliever rather than filling the position.
Over time, this team improved for the postseason and still has one of the top starting rotations in baseball. Lance McCullers’ return in the coming weeks will bring the rotation back to six men.
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