The Astros are lining up to pursue pitching at the trade deadline, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. Houston has its sights set on a quality starter and left-handed reliever, per the report. That hasn’t really changed since the winter, of course, though the team has posted the best record in baseball to this point even without having made the desired upgrades. Rosenthal discusses some possible targets, but it seems that the ’Stros haven’t yet fixed on any particular paths to adding these pieces. General manager Jeff Luhnow did recently tell MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart that the team doesn’t feel any urgency to rush into early trades thanks to its excellent start to the season, so the Astros may well wait to see how the full landscape of the trade market develops before pursuing upgrades.
Here’s more from the American League West:
- As the Mariners continue searching for solutions in the pen, the team has at least temporarily taken Edwin Diaz out of the closer’s role. As Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times writes, though, Steve Cishek did not succeed last night after being pressed into duty just after being activated. Fellow righties Nick Vincent and Tony Zych could also be options going forward, though the latter is also still being handled with care after a long injury layoff. For the time being, it seems, the ninth inning is in flux for Seattle.
- Meanwhile, Mariners righty Ryan Weber, who is among the organization’s many players on the 10-day DL, has been diagnosed with a “stretch of the musculocutaneous nerve,” per a club announcement. Details are sparse, but that nerve services the arm and plays a key role in elbow function. At present, it’s not known how long Weber could miss, but his absence removes yet another depth option from an injury-ravaged Seattle staff.
- The Angels may be charting a whole new course with their pitching staff, Rick Souddress of SB Nation observes. Numerous Halso pitchers are utilizing their four-seam fastballs at career-low levels, Souddress points out. Matt Shoemaker, David Hernandez, J.C. Ramirez, Bud Norris, Yusmeiro Petit and Cam Bedrosian (prior to his injury) are among Angels hurlers that have moved away from their four-seamers, and each has experienced success since doing so. The change is not unique to 2017, either; the 2016 season saw Shoemaker drop his ERA from 9.00 to 3.88 upon making that type of switch, while Bedrosian had a breakout year and Ramirez found success late in the campaign. It’s not clear whether the move away from four-seamers is a strategy implemented by GM Billy Eppler, pitching coach Charles Nagy or others in the organization, though Souddress rightly notes that the decrease correlates with Eppler’s arrival as general manager. Last year’s collective fastball usage of 52.3 percent was the Halos’ lowest rate since 2002, and this year’s 47.9 percent usage rate is their lowest (and fourth-lowest in all of baseball, per Fangraphs).
Mariners season is done. Period. The sooner they realize that the better. Should rebuild being ten games out of the division.
I’m not sure a rebuild is necessary.. like half of the starting lineup and almost all the normal starting pitchers are on the DL.
No they need to rebuild, they have no pitching coming up at all and won’t be able to sign anyone due to the huge contracts. And the pitching is the main problem right now even when all 5 are healthy.
When does Dipoto get fired?
Not anytime soon. The big contracts that are handcuffing them– Felix, Canó, Seags, Cruz– all predate his tenure (thanks, Jack Z!). Whether he can offload one or two of them if they’re still out of it by July, with Cruz being the likeliest, remains to be seen.
You mean other than Moore, Povse, and Neidert?
Sorry for the late response, but three 4th and 5th starters will not make up a decent rotation.
No team that is only 4 games under ,500 in mid-May is “done.”
But they’re over 10 games out.
10 games in May is nothing.
Two words- Wild Card! The AL Central leader is 19-16. That is keeping us close to the pack at 3.0 g back. I’m not about to give up on this team when they have yet to field a full healthy lineup. Our offense is much different w Cano and Haniger missing. 4 SP down (as well as 1 AAA replacement starter,) couple BP injuries- I will be patient w 121 games to play
angels pitching is hitting the DL in larger numbers as well…..
First of all, correlation does not imply causation. Second, Angels pitchers who have gotten injured (i.e. Richards, Skaggs, Tropeano) generally increased their 4-seam fastball usage percentage since Eppler took over.
Not even remotely true, Skaggs and Tropeano have career low FB% since eppler arrived and Richards was right around his norm last year before he went down. Richards is also the only one that employs a 2-seamer.
Skaggs had a 37.7% 4-seam rate and 27.9% 2-seam rate in 2014. In 2016 his 4-seam rate increased to 56.7% while his 2-seam rate dropped to 3.7%. It has remained around that rate to start this year. Similarly, Tropeano’s 4-seam rate increased from 8.6% in 2015 to 15.2% in 2016 while his 2-seam rate dropped from 47.8% to 34.6%. So I’m not sure where you’re getting your alternative facts from…
considering Skaggs and Tropeano don’t throw 2-seamers I could ask you the same question. Skaggs throw a 4-seam, curve, and change. While Tropeano uses a 4, change, split, and slider.
Idk where you’re getting that from because according to fangraphs they both throw 2-seamers
who would you rather have fit the stretch run darvish, Cole or quintona
The Astros and Rangers won’t make a big trade for someone like Darvish. They’re division and state rivals
People on here believe otherwise. I said exactly as you did two weeks ago.
Jimmy is correct. Rivals have to make much more enticing offers than other clubs.
Would love to deal Yu from TX to HOU, get a nice solid haul and then resign him in the offseason.
YU apparently loves Dallas/Fort Worth and the Rangers.
the astros have Collin Mchugh coming off the DL soon so getting a starting pitcher isn’t a need, it’s a want
Mchugh hasn’t even started throwing again, so You have no idea when when is coming off the DL. Also, no idea how he’s gonna be when he returns. He’d be a number #3 “IF” he came back at top of his game. That’s a BIG if.
amd that’s exactly what the astros need, a number 3 in the rotation
also Mchugh did begin throwing
Dude, he has thrown from a mound since exited his rehab start in April. Sure they need a #3. But do you know for sure he’s gonna be that when/if he come back?
Has not*
Yes he has. He’s expecting to return next month.
Show me a link…. PLEASE
i love billy eppler
Eppler is a good gm but he needs to find some superstars to complement trouts
No he doesn’t. He needs a couple more productive position players, a couple of starters, and at least a couple of relievers to be a safe pick in the AL West. Although getting another superstar would make it a lot easier to add that win value. They need to load up depth instead of adding another ridiculous contract.
I’m sure getting hurt sucks for Weber, but it happened at an ideal time. Now he gets service time and major league pay by getting injured on the day he was called up.
Cole to Houston for Kyle Tucker, David Paulino, Forrest Whitley
That’s not bad.
But the Pirates should try for Cole and Watson (solve both needs) for Martes and Tucker.
HUGE.. over pay
I suspect Martes will be available. I think Tucker at this point is probably their only untouchable and I think Franklin Perez is bordering on untouchable.
I would think a Martes, Paulino, and Fisher deal is probably the best Houston will put out there.