Astros righty Collin McHugh will make his 2017 big-league debut in a start against the Orioles, the Astros have announced. McHugh had missed the entire season to this point with shoulder trouble. Before 2017, McHugh had an impressive three-year run in Houston in which he posted a 3.71 ERA, 8.4 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 over 543 innings. His return improves an Astros rotation that also currently features Lance McCullers, Charlie Morton, Mike Fiers and Brad Peacock. Dallas Keuchel is now on a rehab assignment after heading to the DL with neck discomfort in early June. Here’s more out of Texas.
- The impending returns of McHugh and Keuchel don’t mean the Astros are out of the market for rotation help, however. Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweets that the team watched Rangers star Yu Darvish pitch yesterday. The team is keeping tabs on all significant potential rotation additions, Morosi adds. Darvish has lately been connected to a variety of teams, including the Dodgers and Cubs.
- Speaking of Darvish, the Rangers have recently been scouting the Dodgers’ and Cubs’ Triple-A teams, Evan Grant of SportsDay writes. Of course, teams frequently scout one another’s affiliates for any number of reasons, but right now, the Rangers’ interest in the Dodgers’ and Cubs’ minor-leaguers could set the groundwork for a trade. Grant adds, though, that the Cubs might be more interested in catcher Jonathan Lucroy than in Darvish. (The 31-year-old Lucroy is in the midst of a down season in Texas, with a .248/.297/.351 line so far; he’s eligible for free agency after the season. He would complement Willson Contreras behind the plate if the Rangers were to trade him to Chicago.) Grant also notes that rival clubs didn’t scout Darvish’s own start particularly heavily last night, perhaps because the 46-50 Rangers are still on the fringes of contention. It’s still not yet entirely clear what their approach to the deadline will be.
Does Lucroy have a no trade clause that he would have to waive?
No
Hope he says no to Chicago as well. A no to Cleveland and yet he’d OK a deal to a Chicago to be a part time catcher on an NL team?
I believe him saying no to Cleveland was because he wanted them to agree to decline his 2017 option, which would’ve allowed him to become a free agent after the season, and thus make more money. It’s a totally different situation now that he’ll be a free agent after this season regardless, and because he’s having a down year.
Nah the Indians wanted him to DH/play 1st/backup catcher when Yan Gomes returned from injury, so he said no to that aspect.
He said No to Cleveland last year because they told his agent he would be a Back up catcher and occasional DH. He’s a catcher first and foremost. He won’t agree to Chicago unless they promise him primary catching duties
Actually it was a combination of what I said, plus what you said.
Pretty sure that once the player waives his no trade, he no longer has that option. I think Lucroy is a FA after this season, so he likely does not care where he plays the last 2 months of this season
I like the Astros rotation as is. If McHugh does well in his first two starts, then the Astros have their upgrade.
I also love that all of these SPs are controlled through next year.
Britton or Justin Wilson. Gray would be a nice tack-on.
Britton has looked pretty shaky this year. I’d steer clear.
cubs would be better off with alex avila.
And Justin Wilson
And Justin Verlander
The Cubs should be solely focused on pitching right now. Avila sucks anyway.
a wRC+ of 146 and a WAR of 2.4 already begs to differ
Avila has the highest OPS of any catcher in the majors and is as good defensively as any catcher in the majors. What about him sucks?
They still need a backup catcher
the cubs need a veteran presence with ross gone
Caratini can’t hit, that’s for sure. But what would be a reasonable deal for Avila? I’d hate to overpay for good performance when he normally bats and fields like the guy we just cut. He’s also cheap and that’ll mean DET will want better talent. Zagunis?
He has hit at every level. He’s a rookie. Batting twice a week. He’ll hit eventually
Exactly. He wasn’t ready for the majors yet but got pressed into duty when they ditched Monteredes. He was hitting AAA pretty well until the promotion and will hit eventually.
Oh come on, I meant that he can’t hit at the current level of play.. We’re in the tightest division race in baseball and Caratini has a .557 OPS . Is now really the time to make sacrifices to let a fresh face develop when we could have Avila who’s actually having a good season and….. oh crap. I just checked Avila’s postseason stats. While the sample size is small, he has a .475 OPS in the postseason. Maybe it’s worth it to just let Caratini play.
Zagunis is the one I’d be worried about
That’s what I’m saying – no one would miss some fat dude who looks like a weird bird and specializes in walking to first base and then just standing there for the rest of the inning.
From what I’ve seen and heard all he’s done is hit. He was named minor league player of the month while with the ML squad. That should tell you that he can rake. He hasn’t been given a chance. And certainly not enough ABs to justify that he can’t hit.
“Grant also notes that rival clubs didn’t scout Darvish’s own start particularly heavily last night, perhaps because the 46-50 Rangers are still on the fringes of contention. It’s still not yet entirely clear what their approach to the deadline will be.” What kind of mundane statement is that? If rival clubs’ scouts aren’t heavily scouting a potentially available starter like Darvish then the rival clubs management are full of morons.
There’s potentially other guys available that teams need to send scouts to see as well, if they think Darvish isn’t certain to be moved why waste resources when you have other guys to see as well?
This team is going nowhere fast. JD needs to sell, sell, sell.
If the Rangers are scouting the Cubs AAA team there is not much there to see other than. Jamier Candelario 3B. I don’t think the. Cubs would let Jamier go for back-up catching and he doesn’t seem like a big enough piece to be central to Yu Darvish deal.
Darvish going to the Astros. That’s hilarious. Gonna cost you the farm. Literally.
Where was that said lol?
I’d love to see Yu go to HOU and I’m a Rangers fan. If the rangers can’t make the playoffs, I’m cheering for HOU..
I’d take some like Cameron, Preston Tucker, and 1 or 2 more pieces..
No Dodger trade and trading in division is not cool so Cubs look good on a rental but we won’t do like last year!
I just don’t see Theo and Co. making a desperate move. He seems to be playing Chess while these other GMs are playing Checkers. When is the last time this FO lost a trade? Everyone said it would take ML ready talent to get a stud, cost controlled pitcher like Quintana, yet he spun two prospects in Cease and Jimenez that haven’t even played above A ball yet. He has this team set up to contend for at least the next 4 years.
If Theo didn’t dip into his ML core to get Q, he’s not gonna do it for a rental like Darvish (who they can just sign this winter for cash only) or a reliever like Britton. They’ll get a back up catcher and another reliever and that’s it. They can add another starter in the winter when and if Arrieta leaves. Lester, Quintana, Jake and Hendricks is more than enough for this year. Once you get to the playoffs you never use your 5th starter and rarely even your 4th.