5:12pm: The Astros announced that they’ve optioned Martin to Triple-A. It’s not clear who’ll step into his spot in the rotation, as the corresponding move was the recall of lefty reliever Reymin Guduan. As The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan points out (via Twitter), they’ll need a fifth starter on Saturday but can get through the next turn in the rotation with only four starters due to an off day next week.
11:05am: Though the Astros aren’t committing to a rotation change just yet, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle writes that one may not be far off. Corbin Martin has not made it past the fourth inning since his debut outing.
Martin’s first showing was a good one. But in his four intervening starts, he has allowed 10 earned runs on 20 hits with a 10:11 K/BB ratio in 14 innings.
The ’Stros are showing a fair bit of patience, but obviously won’t be satisfied with these sorts of results. Martin has struggled to get ahead of hitters, keep his pitch count down, and stay in the zone. And though the organization can afford some added audition time with a nine-game division lead, it also will be wary of tempting fate while several of its best players are on the injured list.
Skipper A.J. Hinch affirmed that the organization believes in Martin as a long-term option, citing his stuff and “mentality” as reasons for a “really good” long-term outlook. But Hinch says that for Martin “to stay in the rotation and be effective, not just for the foreseeable future but his entire career, it’s important for him to mix in some good outings and make sure he can get us deep in games.” Whether Martin will get one more chance to turn the corner remains to be seen.
The ’Stros certainly have alternatives. Collin McHugh would be an obvious choice, though he’s on the IL. Josh James, Framber Valdez, and Brady Rodgers could all slide over from the bullpen. It’d certainly be easy enough for the team to piggyback a few of those pitchers to get the length needed for a game or two, perhaps allowing one or more pitchers to stretch out fully on the fly.
Looking down on the farm, there are two 40-man starters — Cionel Perez and Rogelio Armenteros — camped out at Triple-A. Neither has been particularly impressive to this point of the season, at least in terms of earned runs, though both have swing and miss capabilities. It might have been hoped that top prospect Forrest Whitley would be ready for a taste of the big leagues, but he has been hammered early on at Round Rock and doesn’t seem likely to be tapped in the near future.
Martin has been hard to watch. Demotion seems necessary at this point. Let Framber or James get a start or two and see how it goes… the AL West is already wrapped up imo.
Love this comment: it’s the usual jinx ahead of the AS break that results in a collapse by September.
The rangers, A’s, Angels and Mariners already have the AL West wrapped up imo. Uh oh just jinxed those teams…
Spring Training jinxed those teams.
yeah, what a shame if the four other clubs come back and win the division lol
Lol at Rangers fans… hopefully you figure out that you need to be sellers soon. Your best player is on the IL and the joke of a 2b wore shorts on purpose to play baseball. Whatever takes the attention off batting under the Mendoza line for the better part of 3 years now… Astros have the West wrapped up. We are using AAA players against divisional opponents and still winning.
Rangers are too busy grabbing each other and playing with their pants
Yeah, that’s ridiculously weird and isn’t a good example for the kids watching.
The Astros have it wrapped up.
With the offense the Astros can produce. I say give the kid 1-2 more tries before a demotion. There’s a leach and maybe they need to shorten it.
Sometimes pitchers just need to change the footing on the pitcher plate and work from there. Who knows. It’s not like any of the four other teams in the al west are a challenger.
Problem is he’s putting a lot of stress on the BP. I hope James gets a shot.
They should sign Dallas Keuchel
I only wish we had some way of knowing how he fits in that clubhouse dynamic.
ehh… don’t even want him… wait till he signs with the Yankees… the calls to Francesa after a few bad starts will be epic
NEVER. I’d prefer a trade for LeBlanc.
Rather have Mike Minor
They could also trade one or two mid-level prospects for Bumgardner instead. Same production as Kuechel for the same 1/2 season, minus all of the drama.
Umm it will take a real good prospect to MadBum not a couple mid tier prospects.
He’s having an average season on an expiring contract. He’s not going to fetch an upper tier prospect in return just because he used to be an elite level pitcher. Teams are no longer paying for a player’s past performance (see the past two off-seasons for proof).
Bum will probably be the top pitcher available at the deadline. Whoever is the highest bidder will get him. Yes teams are avoiding signing vets to big deals during the offseason. But that doesnt mean they wont trade top prospects for them at the deadline. With only one trade deadline this year, expect Bum to have a better return than two mid level prospects. He will get top tier talent from a team that needs playoff proven talent
Plus a lot more money since he would have to waive his no trade ABV will want an extension and he’s not that good.
What is the significance of having players in AAA on the 40-man roster? Are they accruing service time in the minors?
Trident,
If they’re on the 40 man, you don’t have to DFA a player to bring them up. You can option Martin and call up one of the 40 man guys to take his place without losing anyone from the roster.
You have to be on the 40 man to be on the Major League roster. If you are not when they call you up, someone who is on the 40 man will get cut.
“Dallas Keuchel????!!???”
The results are bad, but the Astros are winning his starts. Surely, he is learning from the experience and still has long term potential as an above average player.
He deserves a couple more chances to prove himself. I wish the Astros would help him with an opener.
I usually am all for a long leash, but he needs to work on throwing strikes in AAA, not on the big league club. It’s detrimental to the team to have a starter out after 3IP routinely due to high pitch counts.
Matt Boyd and Shane Greene for K Tucker and C Martin blockbuster?
Luhnow just had a stroke from laughing so hard.
A top 5 offensive prospect for a closer the Astros don’t need and another pitcher who is having his first season of any success. Makes zero sense for Tucker alone, much less the inclusion of anyone else. Horrible return for the Astros.
Matt Boyd is controlled via arbitration through 2022. The Tigers would be stupid to trade him for Tucker and Martin.
And Tucker is controlled longer than that. Tucker is also an elite prospect where Boyd was an average prospect who’s having his first decent season.
There are top prospects who become average players and there are average prospects that become all stars. Your value of Boyd is totally because he was not a top prospect. If he was Whitley doing what he is doing you would say he is a blossoming ace but it is Boyd so it is just a one off season in your thinking. The advanced metrics say his breakout is legit and he is performing like a quality #2 or a great #3 on a playoff team. In today’s baseball that SP with three more years of control has a lot of value including a return of K Tucker+ another good prospect.
Absolutely incorrect, it’s based ony belief that two months of improved stats means nothing. Much less being an elite prospect means nothing until you produce. The difference is every team in baseball would want Tucker in their system, while maybe 3-4 would want Boyd (until he sustains success). Tucker’s ceiling is perennial all-star, Boyd’s is probably a 3-4 starter, a 2 at best on a sub .500 team like the Tigers.
If you think a #3 starter with 3-4 years of control commands a top 5 offensive elite prospect, that’s a shame. You are just being a homer at that point. Take the emotion out of it. Like I’ve already said, I don’t like Tucker but it’s widely known that he’s considered a top 5 prospect with a very high ceiling. That’s covered and not sold for a loss.
To your last paragraph…ummm…Quintana for E Jimenez and D Cease….Archer for Meadows and Glasnow.
Both Archer and Quintana have had multi-season success, so you can’t justifiably draw a parallel there. They both also had plural seasons of Ace quality pitching. Bad comparison.
I’m going off what you said about the value of a #3SP in baseball. A good #3SP with cheap years of control gets you an elite prospect.
Now what your saying is Boyd is not a good #3SP he is more a backend SP having a good year to this point. That is a different argument then the value of a good #3SP.
Archer had like one ace like year and Quintana never had an ace type year he was just a consistent good pitcher with cheap team control.
Boyd is pitching better than both these guys when they were traded. He just does not have the track record as those pitchers so either you buy into his breakout season or think it is a fluke even if he showed some signs last year and all the advanced metrics support his ace like numbers this year.
I hope he has an outstanding season and career, I just refuse to buy into the hype on any player based on two good months. That’s all.
I never liked Quintana, but a few years ago he was all the rage with sports talk mouth breathers claiming he’s the next Sandy Koufax.
Astrosforlife
I figured you would not like this because it is a balanced trade idea and does not fit your giving up your 10th best prospect for MadBum thought process.
It’s about as fair and balanced as Fox News and CNN.
Don’t have a horse in this race but Boyd and Greene might put the Astros over the top. This is a classic case of overvaluing prospects of you can add Boyd and Greene for Tucker the Astros would do that in a heartbeat. If I was the Tigers I wouldn’t do it for just Tucker though. Boyd is establishing himself as a quality starter and he’s doing it in the big leagues. Seems like overvaluing prospects which seems to be happening more and more. What DM says is probably about right for Detroit to even consider.
On paper maybe, but it DOES matter that they plan on a team with no pressure to win. This scenario happens nearly every year where the guy gets traded and flames out in high leverage situations where every pitch matters.
Greene also has a higher current value than Boyd, but that’s also one area where the Astros simply don’t need the help.
Greene has more trade value than Boyd??
Not even close imo. Boyd has a LOT more trade value than Greene.
Greene does IMO because of the closer role being so over valued.
Boyd is more valuable then Greene because if for no other reason then control. He is not a free agent until 2023. I do believe his breakout is for real. He is walking less then 2 guys an inning and he is striking out more then 11 an inning with a solid almost 40% ground ball rate.
Well one reply saying Houston would laugh at this offer and another saying Detroit would be stupid to do this deal…Seems like a good trade to me lol
It’s not bad. But I think if the Astros trade Tucker, it’ll be for an arm more established than Boyd.
Zero chance the Astros FO trades Tucker for a middle of the road guy having a decent season. Come on people, stop being homers.
I actually don’t care for Tucker and I hope he gets traded. I just know they won’t do it for 50 cents on the dollar like this proposal suggests.
Tucker good power hitter .250 this year and .141 in 30 games in mlb. Way over valued.
lol. BA?
We will not see eye to eye on this because of how we value Boyd. I think most of MLB see him closer to my impression imo.
We won’t, but I enjoy the banter none-the-less.
I do as well. Talking baseball is awesome!!
Let’s come up with a trade for Boyd and Greene. I think they will help out.
I think the bat boy wants a trade out of Detroit!
“It might have been hoped that top prospect Forrest Whitley would be ready”
Setting new standards in subjunctiveness.