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My Dream Houston Astros Trade Deadline Moves

By Yoni Pollak

Mar 6, 2015; Jupiter, FL, USA; Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow (right) laughs with television analyst Peter Gammons (center) and Astros manager A.J. Hinch (left) prior to a spring training baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2015; Jupiter, FL, USA; Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow (right) laughs with television analyst Peter Gammons (center) and Astros manager A.J. Hinch (left) prior to a spring training baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 28, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer (22) reacts as he is taken out of the game during the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 28, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer (22) reacts as he is taken out of the game during the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

The Trade

Astros acquire: SP Chris Archer, 1B Steve Pearce

Rays acquire: SP Francis Martes, SP David Paulino, OF Kyle Tucker, OF Tony Kemp , RHP Josh Fields

Why The Astros Make The Trade

The Astros need another starter, right? Though Archer has struggled this season to the tune of a 4.42 ERA and 1.35 WHIP, he’s still considered one of the better pitchers in baseball. Over the previous three seasons, Archer has compiled ERAs of 3.22, 3.33 and 3.23 respectively.

The Rays ace is signed cheaply through the 2019 season with a $9 million club option in 2020. Because of his low cost, it would cost the Astros a ton in terms of prospects, but the Astros have youngsters to make such a move.

Adding Pearce to the team’s bench isn’t a necessity but could help the Astros. Pearce is hitting .312 with a .912 OPS this season and is capable of playing 1B, 2B and OF. Most importantly with Pearce, he kills lefties to the tune of a .377 average and 1.212 OPS in 53 at-bats this season.

Why The Rays Make The Trade

Trading Archer would be very difficult for a team like the Rays, but they’re getting a nice haul here. Martes is the Astros top pitching prospect and shows flashes of being an ace. He’ll likely be ready to debut sometime in 2017, making him close enough to the Majors for the Rays to take him.

Martes is the Astros’ best, but David Paulino isn’t far behind. He’s been straight up dominant with a 1.86 ERA at Double-A and deserves a call-up to AAA. He should be in someone’s rotation sometime next year.

Kyle Tucker, though farther away, is already considered a top 100 prospect in baseball. The 2015 5th overall pick has hit .274 in his first full season at Low-A. Once he matures physically he could shoot up the system.

Both Tony Kemp and Josh Fields are MLB ready and could be promoted if traded. Kemp is a speedster on the basepaths and holds his own defensively. Fields is known for his fastball, but has had command issues in the past. Both are currently in AAA.

The Rays would be receiving three of the Astros top five prospects and two MLB-ready guys. Pearce is an impending free agent and likely gone this winter, but trading away an ace like Archer is tough. Still, it’s the right move for a team needing more young talent.

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Next: The Smaller Trades

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