Astros: How’s The Outfield Looking For 2016?
By Yoni Pollak
At House of Houston, we’re evaluating every position on the Astros roster as we begin the offseason.
Since being eliminated a few weeks ago, we’ve gone through catcher, first base, second base, shortstop. and third base. Today we look at the outfield.
The Houston Astros appear to have at least two of their three outfield positions set for the 2016 season.
Carlos Gomez, acquired before the July trade deadline, should start the season as the team’s everyday center fielder. Gomez, 29, finished the 2015 season hitting just .255 with 12 home runs and 17 stolen bases.
It was a frustrating season for the former Milwaukee Brewers outfielder. He struggled early in the season with a myriad of injuries before being shipped to Houston. Once in Houston, Gomez found his stride for a few weeks before going down with an intercostal injury that forced him to miss a few weeks. The veteran played through the injury late in the season and actually provided some big hits in September and into the playoffs.
Gomez is a virtual lock to start the season and almost every game in center field. The Astros hope last year was an off year because Gomez can be a huge part of the offense if he repeats his 2013 or 2014 numbers which saw him hit in the .280’s with over 20 home runs and an OPS over .800 in each season.
Sharing the outfield grass in right field will be George Springer. The exciting young outfielder hit .276 with an .826 OPS in 102 games. The Astros hope to get more games out of him this year as he’s suffered two big injuries in each of his first two seasons at the Major League level. If healthy and playing in 150+ games next year, you can expect big numbers from him and possibly even a 30-30 season.
Left field is where we still have a question mark entering the offseason. Colby Rasmus slashed .238/.314/.475 in 432 at-bats, spending time all over the outfield but mostly in left field. Interestingly enough, Rasmus hit .304 when playing in LF (184 at-bats), whereas he only hit .202 when in CF (104 at-bats) and .184 when in RF (136 at-bats).
The Astros signed Rasmus to a one-year deal worth $8 million last offseason and this winter he’s expected to earn even more. The free agent made himself extra money after an incredible postseason where he hit .412 with four home runs in 17 at-bats (1.760 OPS). The question still remains if he has priced himself out of Houston.
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If Rasmus leaves and the Astros choose to stay in-house, then we may see a platoon of Preston Tucker and Jake Marisnick. Tucker has more power as evidenced by his 13 home runs in 300 at-bats. However, Tucker struggles defensively and is usually taken out of the game for Marisnick late in the game.
The 24-year old Marisnick hit well in April and September but struggled from the plate during the four middle months of the season. If he can prove to be more consistent from the plate, then Marisnick could easily win the left field job in spring training.
The Astros could also choose to spend big money to put an impact bat in left field. It’s likely both Alex Gordon and Jason Heyward would be atop of their wish list. Gordon and Heyward are premiere defensive outfielders and hit for both average and power, a type of player the Astros lacked last season. Justin Upton is another possible name the Astros could target.
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Next: Taking A Look At The Astros' Impending Free Agents