Houston Astros: 4 free agent starting pitchers the team should still target

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Free agent LHP Dallas Keuchel, whom should be re-signed by the Houston Astros (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

Player #4: Dallas Keuchel

I’ve said it before and I’ve said it again, the Houston Astros need to re-sign Dallas Keuchel. It’s tough to gauge what kind of offers he’s receiving from just about every team in the Western Hemisphere with extra money in the bank but I think this team could come to the table and try to bring him back.

I’ve already voiced my concerns in-depth in regard to three reasons as to why the Houston Astros should bring him back and you can CLICK HERE to take a look at that.

Must Read. Three reasons Dallas Keuchel should be brought back. light

I honestly would’ve thought that Keuchel would be signed by another team by now but the fact that he hasn’t indicates that he and Scott Boras have set his asking price quite high. It’s apparent that two teams that seemed to have some level of varying interest — the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees — have backed off with those teams quickly filling their starting positions, especially with the Reds acquiring Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig and Alex Wood.

Kemp will is in the final season of a eight-year, $160 million deal paying him $21.5 million in

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2019. Puig and Wood are in their final year of arbitration and they’ll likely earn $11.3 million and $9 million respectively, according to the latest estimates from MLB Trade Rumors. They’re all expiring contracts but it does tie up a possible $41.8 million in salary among those three guys.

This will leave little money for the team to sign Keuchel plus the Yankees just signed J.A. Happ a few days back to a three-year, $36 million deal.

As the options for a big payday start drying up for Keuchel, he may come back to the table with the Houston Astros for a possible return. Then I’d have no worries about the rotation and the remaining positions could be filled by either McHugh and Peacock and we’d basically be running 2017 back without Morton.

I’d like to pay him $18 million per for the next three years but he probably wants something within $22M-$25M+ in a long-term deal which may be a tough pill to swallow for a lot of ballclubs, including our hometown one.

I’d be quite happy to see the left-handed bearded fellow back in the fold once again but I know this notion is likely not going to happen. It doesn’t hurt to dream right? So we’ll see about that.

You probably have his stat line memorized by now but for what it’s forth, Keuchel, 30, posted a 12-11 record, a 3.74 ERA while tossing 153 strikeouts, a 1.314 WHIP, a 3.69 FIP and 6.7 K/9 through an outstanding 204.2 innings pitched.

Next. Three things Michael Brantley adds to the Astros. dark

Do you agree with my four selections? How do you think the Houston Astros should combat this problem? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below.

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