Houston Astros: Team adds former Gold Glover, Martin Maldonado

The Houston Astros bolstered their lineup today by adding 2017 Gold Glove winning catcher Martin Maldonado in a trade today from the Angels.

The Houston Astros have upgraded their team by adding 2017 Gold Glove winner Martin Maldonado today. The trade will send Astros minor league prospect Patrick Sandoval out west to the Angels.

Maldonado has been great this year for the Angels. His caught stealing percentage is .444, his fielding percentage is .944, which is fifth best in baseball according to ESPN.com. Offensively, he has hit .233 with 5 home runs and 32 runs batted in this year.

Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow said that Maldano has always been on the team’s radar per Astros beat writer Brian McTaggart. Luhnow talks that adding an elite defender behind the dish will help this team out a ton as it pushes to repeat as World Champs.

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Angels Manager Mike Scioscia says the Astros are getting one heck of a catcher in Maldonado. Scioscia discusses how Maldonado had great respect in their clubhouse, especially with their pitchers. Hopefully, he’ll be able to develop a rapport quickly with the Houston Astros pitchers like he had with the Angels.

Maldonado says he is ready to play for the defending World Series champs and admires how the Houston Astros play baseball day in and day out.

"“Playing against those guys, it’s a team that they never give up,” Maldonado said. “They compete from the first pitch to the 27th out, so I’m looking forward to learn more as soon as I get there about those pitchers and those guys.”"

This trade helps the Astros in so many ways. First, it gives the team a quality guy behind the plate while Brian McCann is out with an injury and won’t be back until September. Max Stassi doesn’t have to be the sole catcher. Maldonado is a major upgrade over current backup Tim Federowicz.

Secondly, it gives Max Stassi a chance to rest up and recharge for the rest of the season. We all know what a grind the baseball season can be. Stassi has been a surprise behind the dish this year and has proved more than capable offensively and defensively.

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Finally, it gives the Astros more flexibility when it comes to making trades for the postseason push. Instead of worrying about adding depth to the catching position, they can focus on greater areas of need, like the bullpen.

The Astros will likely see which two out of Stassi, McCann, and Maldonado will provide the biggest advantage behind the plate for the playoff push. I doubt the team carries three catchers into the playoffs again.

Maldonado will just be a rental as he plays out the rest of his one-year, $3.9 million contract. There is a good chance that the team will look to re-sign him after the season. Especially if McCann returns to Atlanta or retires.

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All in all, this is a very solid move for the Houston Astros. It only cost them a low-level prospect and has a tremendous amount of upside. If Maldonado can come in and get on the same page with the pitchers quickly this elite defensive unit will only get better.

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