Though the Astros’ lack of a left-handed reliever may appear to be a troubling dilemma at face value, general manager Jeff Luhnow and company are not treating it as such, and appear poised to move into the postseason with a bullpen consisting entirely of righties, writes Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. Of the four lefties on the 40-man roster, Framber Valdez is the only reliever with significant Major League experience—experience that hasn’t yielded the most promising results. However, the Stros’ righties have done nothing to suggest a southpaw is needed: left-handed hitters have managed a dreadful .263 wOBA versus the Houston bullpen, the lowest mark in the Majors. Luhnow points to Chris Devenski and Will Harris as two veterans who have been instrumental in that success and could be deployed in October as pseudo-lefties. Of course, Roberto Osuna and Ryan Pressly have likewise dominated lefty hitters, but that duo will likely be used as matchup-proof late-inning options.
Here’s more of the latest news out of Houston…
- Kyle Tucker has been receiving continued reps as a first baseman with the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate and will receive heavier exposure at the position in the offseason, writes Rome. He and fellow rookie Yordan Alvarez are being groomed into first baseman with an eye on next year’s version of the Astros. Having Tucker and Alvarez available at first could offer added flexibility in the club’s roster construction, as well as providing a clearer path to Major League at-bats for Tucker, who has accumulated more than 900 Triple-A plate appearances in part because of the Astros strong corner outfield rotation. Rome notes that if and when Tucker returns to the Majors as part of expanded rosters, he would only line up at first base in a relatively inconsequential game.
- Rome provides further details (via Twitter)on the suspension that Astros management handed down to Reymin Guduan last week, clarifying that the suspension only spans the entirely of the minor-league season. As a consequence, Guduan will be eligible to pitch for the Astros in September, though there’s no indication that the 27-year-old will see any more Major League action this season. Guduan, a southpaw, does offer depth in an organization that is thin on lefties, but his performance in limited big league exposure has not been encouraging.
Brantley, Reddick and Springer are free agent after next season, you would think Alvarez and Tucker could step into the outfield then. Gurriel has 3 more years left and he’s been great at first.
19 and 20 are the last compete years for this core. Then they will have a rebuild where competitiveness will only be sustained if Altuve, Bregman, and the old pitchers can all stay at a high clip.
I beg to differ. They lose Cole and reddick this year, but McCullers and Tucker will be on the roster to replace them. They will fill replace pieces as needed but Lungow has constructed a team built for more then 2 more years
Players not “pieces”.
Incorrect, Reddick is signed through 2020.
https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/houston-astros/payroll/
All them are under contract, only McHugh, Joe Smith, and a couple small deals are expiring in 2019, which will free up close to $20m.
Which Houston MIGHT try using to resign Cole.
Though on the other hand, 2020 is when Altuve, and Bregmans extensions kick in hard, so maybe not.
If we did resign Cole, we could use McCullers in the pen, who could eat up 2-3 innings, like the kid in Pittsburgh does..
Springer for sure will get a contract before he hits free agency.
Yuli will be a free agent in 2020, not in 3 years
Though, I can see the Astros possibly try trading Reddicks final year of $13m this coming offseason.
Also Altuve, and Bregmans extension kicks in next season.
Yeah Josh will be moving more than any other likelihood and I can’t see how they can resign Cole at $200M.
Yuli is a FA after 2020. I’m still guessing they sign Springer and let Correa walk.
I think he’s a free agent after 2022… Baseball reference says he’s arb eligible for 21 and 22
I agree. Looking like an OF of tucker, Straw and Springer starting in 2021. My guess is that Correa thinks he’s A-Rod w out the results and has been injury prone. Wouldn’t mind having Bregman be the everyday SS once Correa is gone… Yuli is a FA after 2020, he will be 37 in 2021.
A-Fraud’s results were steroids prone.
ARod was a star roids or no roids
Agreed on Correa. Seems like the team isn’t really a fan of his. His wife is going to make him go to New York. He just comes across as super fake. Didn’t feel that way until this year.
Old friend Tony Sipp is available, might not be a bad idea to sign him to a minors deal, get him right and call him up in September to try him out.
No, he sucks.
Miley is the lefty in the bullpen for the playoffs.
Astros bullpen have held left handed batters to a .263 wOBA, the lowest mark in the majors. This is stated in the article, no need for a lefty out of the pen.
Tucker could start over reddick. Reddick has been a below average hitter for two years now and is a clear weak spot on a great team.
Reddick is hitting .270 with 10 homers and plays great defense.
While Reddick has fallen off offensively, his defense is leaps and bounds greater than Tucker’s.
The Astros have no position weaknesses. Josh Reddick is another strength among many. His defense is superior to everyone’s except Kole Calhoun His left handed bat helps balance the RH dominated lineup and he’s a good hitter, just not great as the others. Except for the catchers, Jake Marisnick is the weakest offensive player on the team but he’s the 4th OF. However, unlike 95% spectators, the Astros value his defense and play him often. Martin Maldinado will never hit.
I never noticed before. The Astros system is absolutely void of serious LH pitching prospects. Framber Valdez is the best and his overall MiLB career is not very good.
It’s shows that Gurriel is signed next year for 8.4 mil.
And after that is still Arb eligible for 21 – ’22
I guess they play out his current contract. And if they want. Can arbitration him. Year to year. Which would be crazy. According to service time. Since he has had excellent years to start his career.
Or. Sign him up to a two year deal. Or go one to one year deals and see year to year. If they want to re-up for the following. Or cut him. Which would would suck for such a great Astro player.
I’d assume he’d make at least 15 mil the first year of arbitration. . . A nice two year deal for 25 with incentives might do it. Cost controlled. And zero arbitration hearings… Although he might want much more.
Age will factor into this one. And does he have one more great year before free agency. ? He’s having a career year. !
I think if the Astros are going to remain competitive long term, they have to sign Springer to a 4-5 year deal.
He obviously loves the team, but this isnt his hometown team, and he can probably get more money than what the Astros will be willing/able to give. He did threaten to go play independent ball rather than sign for cheap when he came out of UConn, but that may have just been the last year of Drayton trying to be cheap.
This has been my thinking for awhile too. Springer’s from the NE, his family is there, his wife is from upper NY, and he loves gettin paid. It’d been nice if he’d been traded last offseason to Philly for Nola.
Philadelphia would not have done that deal.
If the money is right, he’s the right call over Correa strictly due to health. Correa has to have a couple of consecutive injury-free seasons before you consider doling out large money to him.
Springer also has that special “it factor” that Correa lacks. Springer is a spark plug, a natural leader on the field.
Springer is the heart of this team. Not necessarily the most talented but probably the most indispensable. He’s the one who made this clubhouse fun again and is the camaraderie ring leader. He is the essential Astro moving forward.
Altuve is the heart and soul and “spark plug”. Springer has his fair share of injuries and slumps. He probably is the most gifted player on the team though.
Correa is the most gifted, just can’t stay healthy. Outside of health Correa really doesn’t have a week spot. And I’m not a fan of Correa. I love Springer
Tuve is the leader but George is the heart although I think Alex will be soon.
A lot of comments about the what the Astros are “willing” to spend. Unfortunately, those opinions are based on past ownership. Crane said when he bought the team that once they got good, he’d be willing to spend money to keep it together. Up till now, we’ve had homegrown players getting paid minimum or arbitration. We still haven’t seen how he’ll spend when they become FAs. I think signing Bregman and Verlander, along with taking on a majority of Greinke’s contract shows evidence of what he promised. Bc of that, there’s a good chance he IS willing to spend the money to keep homegrown players like Springer AND Correa.
The problem is the tax, we won’t go over it.
Not an Astros fan, but this team is built and covered for at least the next 3-5 years. This team was done right when it rebuilt, and the deals made are just the cherry on the top.
Hooray for 5 years of tanking!
Ok sad Rangers fan we get it, the Astros had some rough years. You are ultimately wrong however, as they only “tanked” for 3 years (12-14). Crane bought the team prior to the 12′ season and he inherited a very bad team from the prior ownership having no clue how to run a baseball team.
It took 3 years under Crane to right the ship which is a reflection of his keen sense of business. He turned a team spiraling out of control into a perennial contender. Whine all you want about “tanking” however you must also acknowledge that no other team that has “tanked” has turned it around like Houston. They are on their way to a 3rd consecutive 100 win season with no signs of slowing down.
Considering the team changed ownership, not sure I’d consider it tanking.
We tanked, we just were better at it.
What did Reyman Guduan get suspended for?
I wonder too
The Astros have very little in the way of prospects likely to become regular centerfielders.
Straw has no power and therefore more suited to a bench role.
Tucker is not good defensively and likely to lose speed/range as he ages.
None of the other prospects project to being regular starting calibur.
On the other hand, there are several SS/3B prospects who have potential to develop into starters.
I love watching this team play. They have fun. They show joy. Carlos Correa is a big part of that, but nobody touches the enthusiasm George brings.
I hope that all the current all star level players the Astros currently have are resigned, but I expect George to be the priority.
I would trade Correa while we can.