Astros owner Jim Crane said Friday that the team’s still interested in re-signing free agents Dallas Keuchel and Marwin Gonzalez, and president of baseball operations Jeff Luhnow addressed that Saturday. The Astros “would, of course, love” to have those two back, Luhnow admitted, though he declined further comment on their futures. Luhnow did, however, reveal “there is a decent likelihood” the Astros will make another move, perhaps to pick up starting pitching, relief or position player help, and that he wouldn’t hesitate to trade top prospects to improve the Astros’ rotation. “I did it twice already. And I’m prepared to do it again,” said Luhnow, who swung blockbuster trades for right-handers Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole from 2017-18 and whose club has lost fellow starters Keuchel, Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers Jr. since last season ended. The Astros haven’t made any significant trades yet this offseason, though it hasn’t been for lack of effort. They’ve finished second or third in multiple deals, according to Luhnow, who noted, “We’ve tried and we’ll continue to try” (Twitter links via Brian McTaggart of MLB.com and Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle).
The latest on a couple of Houston’s division rivals…
- The Rangers have spent big in the past, and 26-year-old superstars Bryce Harper and Manny Machado remain free agents as February approaches, potentially making either a fit for the club. However, Texas is not in position to make a splash on the open market this winter, general manager Jon Daniels told TR Sullivan of MLB.com and other reporters Saturday. “We are probably a year away from adding cornerstone-type pieces,” Daniels said. “Our plan all along has been to get the staff in place, get this young group in place, develop them, put in our new systems and as we move into the new ballpark, kind of change the focus.” The “young group” Daniels referenced includes Nomar Mazara, Joey Gallo, Rougned Odor and Jose Leclerc, among others, Sullivan reports. While any of those players could be trade chips, it seems the current plan is to keep them around as the Rangers gear up for their move to Globe Life Field in 2020.
- Even after signing Mike Fiers and Marco Estrada in free agency, the Athletics may land another starter before spring training, according to general manager David Forst (via Melissa Lockard of The Athletic; subscription required). The A’s were quite reliant on utilizing the opener strategy in 2018, though Forst suggested both Fiers and Estrada will continue as traditional starters. As of now, those two are projected to join any of Daniel Mengden, Paul Blackburn, Chris Bassitt, Aaron Brooks, Frankie Montas or even high-end prospect Jesus Luzardo in the A’s season-opening rotation, per Forst. Oakland also has several rehabbing hurlers – including the trio of Sean Manaea, Jharel Cotton and A.J. Puk – and they’re all making progress, as Lockard details. When healthy, some of those pitchers might factor into the A’s bullpen, a group that could pick up another left-hander, Forst revealed. The only southpaw reliever on their 40-man roster is Ryan Buchter, who excelled in 2018. Securing further catching depth is on the team’s radar, too, executive vice president Billy Beane stated (via Chris Haft of MLB.com). While the A’s do have a quality catcher prospect in Sean Murphy, who could debut in 2019, their behind-the-plate situation at the major league level is uninspiring. Their only 40-man catchers are Josh Phegley and free-agent signing Chris Herrmann, and those two haven’t done much in the majors.
- Meanwhile, although Athletics outfield prospect and ex-Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray declared for the 2019 NFL Draft earlier this month, the A’s expect him to report to camp. “There’s been nothing from their side that suggests otherwise,” Beane said Saturday (via Haft). Murray, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, may end up as a first-round pick in the NFL, which would seem to make it a long shot that he’d ever suit up for the A’s.
Interesting point about Kyler Murray …
“The A’s aren’t currently considering allowing Murray to attend the combine and then return to big-league camp and have not discussed it with Murray or his representatives.” (SFChronicle story today)
So hear me out. If Brady win, Machado signs. If Brady loses Harper will sign. The signings will be a week after the superbowl. The Machado signing would be big but not enough to overshadow another Brady superbowl, but if Harper signs it would definately overshadow his loss especially with the chamce of him being getting so much. Machado to the Angel, Harper to the Yankees.
Congratulations for literally making 0 sense
ok…
Keep posting your irrelevant garbage in every single thread, maybe somebody will care!
Just come out with it, JD. You don’t want to commit nearly 400MM/10 yrs to a player. I wouldn’t either. But saying your still a year away from adding a big name is just dumb. Harper is available this year, and if you were serious about trying to get him to TX, you’d do so a year earlier than you want.
Neither Harper or Machado will end up in Texas this season.
I think the reporting on it was fascinating! A big story!
I think if there were a 26 year old ace on the market JD would be all in. Harper and Machado are both “nice to haves” and not cornerstones IMHO
When was the last time a 26 year old ace was on the open market?
Thinking about it, most starting pitchers don’t get to the majors until 24+ years of age. Brewers have Freddy Peralta who is 22 but even then he will be 28 at free agency and being an “ace” is completely another discussion.
That’s sort of the point: this person doesn’t exist and so isn’t available. Either of those 2 would kill our already subpar clubhouse.
Excellent point. You could always be a year or two away from signing a big name to a 3 year deal or less. But unless you are planning a 1990s-2000s Pirates type slide, signing Harper or Machado to a long term deal will not really cause a problem. Besides, it is not like Texas has already been eliminated from contention in 2019. They won the division title a couple of years ago when they were supposed to be bad.
Like you said, if they don’t want to do it, that is perfectly fine. But this claim is just asinine.
Somehow “wait for the new Stadium” sounds easier to fans’ ears than, “We’ll suck with or without those guys.”
The Kyler Murray situation is pretty sketchy. Personally, I don’t think he is a 1st round NFL talent. I could see him as a late 2nd though. Given that draft spot, he would have less guaranteed money in the NFL than his baseball contract. Would he then go Bo Jackson and chose baseball over football? I think he might slip even further in the NFL draft because of this. He must feel very confident he will go in the 1st to pull this move. I hope he becomes the most of his potential in either sport, but he could be burning too many bridges.
Agreed. I know the NFL likes more athletic QBs now but he is still 5-9 and less than 200 pounds. I will be surprised if he holds up in the NFL and even more surprised if a team tries to make him a franchise QB.
It’s kind of the opposite of Bo Jackson though. In those cases, both players were more highly sought in football than baseball. Bo was the overall #1 pick in the NFL draft, but was only a 4th rounder in MLB. Deion Sanders was the same story.
Personally, I think he should go baseball simply for the longer term potential career. The average NFL career is only 4 years and for a non-1st rounder it is probably a lot lower. Not to mention the fact that one bad stretch of games would probably be the end of the line for him with a team. He would just be starting in MLB after 4 years and his 1st round pedigree would get him several chances to fail. Plus, he would be pitching in Oakland, where foul balls go to become outs. Whether he does it or not I don’t know, but all the signs say he should choose baseball.
He’s not a pitcher. He’s an outfielder, so I don’t know your point with the “foul balls become outs”
Yeah a flub on my part. I guess I got mixed up with him being a QB and throwing the ball.
So far Houston’s been all talk and no action. Luhnow has literally done nothing big– barely anything at all
Very surprise Astros didn’t make for deal on Sonny Gray. They have magic sauce for career jolts. Now they need big time, maybe, high risk moves to squeeze out another ring through this window with this core.
Go for the gusto and wheel and deal to get Toronto starters. Estrada or Sanchez or Stroman. And ask price on Morales?
Sonny Gray probably scares the crap out of Luhnow and for good reason. He’s simply not worth the asking price… right now.
Who should he have gone after? Who would have been an upgrade? Nobody, we have better on staff now.
Realmuto is the only upgrade out there for reasonable price.
Astros have enough high end pitching prospects from their days of drafting #1 in every round for a few years. Also will need to deal long term w Springer, Bregman, Correa, et al. I think they’re probably flush but need to be really selective.
Yet none of those 1-1 pitchers are even with the Astros…. Whitley was a mid-1st rounder. Lance was supplemental 1st round. Your comment lacks knowledge.
took the words out of my mouth. Other than Whitley in the kid with the broken arm they haven’t taken many pictures in the first round
So the A’s and the Astros could both be in on Kuechel. I predicted Houston in the beginning but I honestly believe other than the Rangers, he could fit on every other team in the West.
The A’s are not in on Keuchel.
Thanks Billy Beane.
I’m not Billy Beane. I just have a brain.
Agree, a lot, Keuchel not Athletic type guy. Surprise Beane didn’t make sign for Buchholz. Now I like the As for offer to Adam Jones on cheap. And maybe, offer to Tigers for Green and Norris, on cheap.
The longer the offeason goes on, the lower the tag for Kuechel. I don’t see him signing there but with that ballpark and that defense with his groundball tendencies, it is a perfect fit. I think he signs with H-town but I can see the Angels making a bid as well after missing out on Corbin.
If Brady win, Kuechel signs with Astros. If Brady lose, Kuechel sign with Pats.
Irrelevant cuz Kid Kuechel ain’t no transcendent star that would take the media coverage away from the BOAT Tom Brady.
Nonsense. I sacrificed a goat this morning, and the entrails, like you, were full. This clearly shows that the Seals will win the Stanley Cup.
A Hall of Fame worthy riposte.
Just think what the rotation looks like next season. Manaea, Luzardo, Puk, Cotton, Holmes. That could be a scary rotation when everyone is healthy.
Best case second half rotation imo would be
Luzardo-Puk-Manaea-Fiers-Kaprielian
That could also be a AAA rotation because only Manaea has actually proven himself capable of handling MLB hitters. Luzardo, Puk, and Holmes have yet to even pitch a single inning in MLB and Cotton was about as mediocre as a pitcher can be. Mike Fiers and Marco Estrada will likely be in the rotation.
They should sign some veteran starters instead of depending on three rookie starters this season. Maybe adding a few vets like Francisco Liriano, Clay Buchholz, or Chris Tillman to compete in ST with the rookies for rotation spots would work too. They are solid enough vets to hold down spots in a rotation for a while, but not so good as to block the young guys if they prove ready to ascend.
A’s need to sign Buchholz to MLB, and Anderson and Bartolo to minors deals. Should be enough coverage until its Luzardo-Puk-Cotton-Jefferies-Howard+++ time
Daniels is an idiot and just trying to appease the fan base by saying “a year away from adding cornerstone pieces”. If you have to spend the money a year early, you do it. Harper isn’t going to be a free agent next year.
But, Harper isn’t a cornerstone piece anyways, just your typical corner outfielder minus clutch hitting in the postseason.
Still unsure why Oakland took the Murray risk. Likely a top ten pick wasted, for a player who only hit .290ish in college. I get that the athleticism is there but it’s not like he set the NCAA on fire. At the time of the draft, some called him a reach to the A’s. Had to know this was possible even if he said otherwise.
NCAA preseason buzz had Murray nowhere near Heisman, much less NFL draft potential. No one saw this coming, except maybe Murray and Lincoln Riley.
At the beginning of the college football season, the greater risk for Murray playing football was injury, not being so good that he would potentially be a top draft pick. Six months ago Murray was not viewed as a legitimate top NFL prospect.
“A year away from adding cornerstone pieces” What a joke. A guy like Harper comes on the market about once a decade.
If you’ve got the money a year from now, you have it now as well. I’d be leading a mob with torches and pitchforks to the Rangers FO’s door if I were a fan.
Yeah this has to be one of the dumbest things I’ve seen. It’s not as of Machado or Harper are in their 30s. They basically just said it’s going to be a long season in Texas
Interesting subplot in Murray’s decision is the storyline and interest he generates for his sport. At least, he’s worth a couple of years of headlines and buzz even if he flames out. From that stance, MLB has much more to gain by adding Murray. I wonder if NFL people are putting out false info that he’d be a first rounder just to incentivize him to pick football.
I’m very disappointed in the Lunhow offseason. I don’t understand why they don’t resign Keuchel. Honestly, this team is super profitable. Why aren’t they spending money?
Up to now Keuchel’s asking price is too high and too long for a team that will also need to sign Correa, Springer and Bregman soon. A shorter contract for Keuchel with a higher AAV is probably something they’d do. They’re just waiting out the market.
If Rangers are going to wait another year for a “cornerstone” player or players, why not get an early start and finally shore-up the catching spot by trading for Realmuto?
I would be pissed if the Astros resigned dallas. He’s never going to come close to a cy young again. Not that every pitcher in your rotation “should”, but for what he wants (ace-ish money) not worth it. Hes a #3 in their rotation. If he wants big money to be a front man, go to milwaukee. Have an average season and everyone in Milwaukee will love you because they’re fans can’t comprehend what a real ace looks like.