Houston Astros: An early look at who the team should/n’t keep in free agency
By T.A. Mock
Just too close to call
The two guys on this list have been solid contributors for the Houston Astros for longer than the majority of the guys on the roster. In all honesty, the team would probably love to bring both guys back. But, they’re both Scott Boras’ clients and are likely to see a lot of interest elsewhere.
Dallas Keuchel
Dallas Keuchel is the longest-tenured Astro at the MLB level. He had some bad years early on in his career and had some really great years, like winning the Cy Young in 2015. He’s been largely effective this year, minus about inning per start it seems like.
Keuchel could have a huge market this year which could make him even more expensive than he already might be. That makes this a tough decision. In all likelihood, the Astros should extend a qualifying offer. If he accepts great, the team has a solid pitcher for another year. If he declines, great the Astros will get a pick to bolster the farm system.
Must Read. Predicting the stacked playoff pitching rotation. light
Marwin Gonzalez
Marwin Gonzalez is a true anomaly in the game of baseball. He has a very solid bat and can play every position on the field without the team dipping too much in defensive value. This has made him an extremely valuable asset for the Astros and a player that a lot of teams would covet.
Bringing him back would be nice but, he’ll likely want an exuberant contract. A lot of teams will probably be seeking his services. The Astros have a plethora of players that appear MLB ready in AAA, Marwin departing would open up a door for one of them.
In all likelihood, of these two, I see Keuchel staying and Marwin going. Losing either of these guys would sting but, at some point, the Astros need to look toward the future and start moving some of these stud minor leaguers forward.