Houston Astros Rumors: Possible landing spots for free agent class
Those that didn’t get the qualifying offers
There are still three players in the free agent class that did not get QO’s but are essentially gone from the team. They include Brian McCann, Jandel Gustave, and Martin Maldonado, who was not on the roster for a full season and was, therefore, ineligible to get a QO. Will Harris also had his club option declined, but with one more year of team control, he will likely hit arbitration for a smaller figure than his 2018 salary and stay with the Astros.
Even with no QO’s offered, McCann, Gustave, and Maldonado join the free agent class of 2019 for Houston. Gustave possesses a promising arm that will do wonders for whatever club he ends up with. Maldonado, on the other hand, has defensive prowess behind the plate and will likely reunite with the Angels, or go to any of the other number of teams needing a catcher.
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Of this group, however, McCann will be the biggest loss in my humble opinion. He was extremely important in 017 by leading the pitching staff to a championship. Despite his down year to injury in 2018, McCann had a veteran presence that cannot be very easily replaced.
If he does not make the decision to retire, look for McCann to heed the advice of Paul McCartney and “get back to where he once belonged.” For those unfamiliar, that would be with the Atlanta Braves, who just may give him one last contract before he hangs up the catcher’s gear for good.