Houston Astros: The team’s latest stance on dealing Kyle Tucker

Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow made clear what his stance is on trading top prospect Kyle Tucker. What’s the latest? Let’s take a dive in.

What do you know?  It’s more MLB trade deadline talk Houston Astros fans!  As you are as well, I’m waiting for the bombshell story to drop in regard to whom the team will be acquiring to help his team for the foreseeable future.

The postseason will be here before you know it and this team is going to need every advantage that they can get in order to have the goods to win get to the World Series and nab their second franchise championship.

It’s amazing that’s the world we live in now when it comes to the Houston Astros.  Every season is about winning games and improving over the past.  That’s certainly a mantra that I can stand behind as this ballclub is the only one out of the Big Three to win it all.

The Houston Rockets seem primed to give it another go with acquiring Russell Westbrook and they’re likely to have an eventful season.  While the Houston Texans have a ton of talent, it remains to be seen if they’re ever-closer to a Super Bowl.  Can they actually win one with Bill O’Brien, the rigid, power-hungry and fear-mongering head coach?  That question remains up for debate.

So while the other teams are worried about bettering themselves, the Houston Astros have got to get a deal done before July 31 to nab a starting pitcher or else the bullpen is going to start withering away like yesterday’s news.

The problem is that most teams that have the great arms to trade for want Kyle Tucker, the team’s top prospect as per MLB Pipeline.  Baseball America has him ranked No. 12 and Keith Law has him ranked No. 19.

That means he’s quite valuable in just about every regard and it’s important for us to forgive last season’s MLB debut that involved him not even being able to hit his weight for average in 72 plate appearances.

Jeff Luhnow spoke freely on the team’s latest stance on trading Tucker and here’s what he said via The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan (h/t to Connor Byrne of MLB Trade Rumors):

"“I see Tucker as a part of this team going forward …  It would be very difficult for us to move one of the top prospects in the game who is just starting his career and is still young and looks like he’s going to have a lot of upside.”"

Byrne also mentions that Luhnow didn’t necessarily say he was untouchable but based off that

More from House of Houston

• Are you the 2021 FanSided Sports Fan of the Year?
• Houston Texans: 4 reasons Romeo Crennel is right coach right now
• Astros-Twins Wild Card Series: 5 things to know as MLB postseason begins
• Houston Texans: The Most Underrated Sports Drought Ever
• Houston Texans: J.J. Watt’s early case for NFL Hall of Fame

quote, I think it’s going to take a massive haul for the Houston Astros to unload Tucker.

And even then, it still may not happen…

Luhnow won’t have his hand forced to say that he’d never trade Tucker because as a manager of his stature, he must leave all options that are available on the table.

I’m sure Tucker would love to be called up to continue his career in the majors but it’s not his decision to make and Luhnow will use his rapidly-appreciating asset the way he sees fit.

Since he virtually is blocked by Josh Reddick and Michael Brantley — which are far superior options at this point — Tucker is just going to have to wait out his fate in Round Rock to which I’m not opposed to at all.

So that’s the Houston Astros stand, what’s yours?

Tucker, 22, is slashing .260/.344/.561 along with 27 homers and 75 ribbies for the Triple-A Express this season.