Houston Astros: Will the team stand pat on the trade market?
The Houston Astros continue to surge forward as the best team in baseball after nearly a quarter of the season completed.
The Houston Astros continue to surge forward as the best team in baseball after nearly a quarter of the season completed.
This has been done by not only timely hitting but in the way of dominance over their opponents.
We’re getting to the point where winning is an expectation and losing is an exception with the current track that this team is on.
They’re looking a lot like the teams the Houston Astros fielded in not only in 2015 but in 2005 as well.
As you know, the team advanced to the ALDS in 2015 and all the way to the World Series in 2005.
The tool set that this team has to do battle each game is astounding and they continue to build their rapport each and every day.
Their batting average is currently holding at .273, which is good enough for 2nd in the majors and 1st in the AL.
Not only that, but the pitching in the starting rotation has been quite solid as a whole.
I do have my concerns about Mike Fiers but he has done enough to keep us afloat in games, despite the home runs he gifts regularly.
This may change when Collin McHugh returns back to the rotation — which should be soon — and things may change from there.
But in the meantime, the team is doing the things they need to do to win but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t be active on trade market.
According to MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart, the Houston Astros plan to be burning up the phones but there currently is not an urgency to do so, considering their positioning in the standings.
Here’s what Jeff Luhnow had to say via McTaggart:
"“Like I said, we’re going to be active in conversations so we know who’s available and when they might be traded, but I don’t feel like we’re going to be in any hurry, especially since we’ve gotten off to a good start. As long as we continue to play well, there’s no urgency to solve a problem right now.”"
He also added this:
"“We jumped on [Scott] Kazmir two years ago early in the trade season, and there’s pros and cons to that,” Luhnow said. “We got a really good month of some good starts in July that year prior to the Deadline, but other pitchers came available — namely, David Price — that had not really been available early, and so if you really want to know what the landscape looks like completely, you kind of have to wait until the end.”"
Kazmir looked like to be a great acquisition in the mid-season but his production nosedived as the season wore on and the Astros didn’t see a reason to sign him.
He eventually signed a three-year, $48 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers in last year’s off season.
The approach that Luhnow is taking is the most prudent and I think something viable will turn up as the season wears on for the next few months.
Next: What Should The Astros Do With Mike Fiers?
Will Jose Quintana be available at a discounted price?
He’s currently pitching a 4.35 ERA with 46 strikeouts and a 1.42 WHIP through 49.1 innings pitched in eight starts.
Those numbers may not all be necessarily his doing as I’m sure he doesn’t have the run support.
But what if he had a change of scenery?
I’d still love to have him as a part of this rotation.
What will the Astros do?
We’re about to find out so fasten your seat belt, it’s going to be a hell of ride.
Go Astros.