Houston Astros: Five value free agents who can elevate the team in 2019

Josh Harrison, 2B/3B/OF

The Houston Astros didn’t issue Marwin Gonzalez a qualifying offer on last Friday’s deadline. Marwin has been so key to the team’s success the past few years and if they lose him this offseason, it is going to sting. But, pursuing Josh Harrison from the Pirates could be the way to replace him.

The Pirates had a club option for $10.5 million on Harrison for 2019 but they opted to decline it, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Harrison was a little banged up this past season and also had a down year. These two things, with the fact that the Pirates have younger, cheaper guys to replace him, allowed them the opportunity to move on.

Harrison struggled to start his career but in his fourth year, he busted out in a major way with a +.300 average, double-digit homers amongst other things. He even received some stray MVP votes that year. He hasn’t been able to completely replicate that success since then but from 2015-2017 he was very solid, even getting his second All-Star nod in 2017.

Harrison, in my eyes, is very similar to Marwin. He plays both corner outfield spots, second base, and third base. He has the ability with his versatility to completely replace Marwin in the Astros lineup. He doesn’t play short and probably couldn’t at a high level but the Astros have other guys that could fill in at short.

Harrison hits for about the same if not better average than Marwin and the Astros could help him tweak his swing a little bit to get to the power levels Marwin had since he is already on the cusp there. Harrison also has more speed than Marwin ever had and he also strikes out less.

Harrison could probably be had in the $8 to $10 million range for a few years but because of his versatility and how valued that is right now, his price may go up. Regardless, if Marwin is gone, Harrison would be an excellent replacement for the Houston Astros.