The Astros have reportedly been in the mix for upgrades at catcher and at first base, prominently connected to both Willson Contreras and Josh Bell. However, while those two represent the arguable top options at those respective positions, the asking price on both has been high, and Houston is exploring alternative options. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes this morning that the ’Stros “are focusing more on Vazquez” than Contreras at this point, adding that they’ve also expressed interest in Rays first baseman/designated hitter Ji-Man Choi.
Vazquez, 32 in three weeks, is a more straightforward trade candidate than Choi. The longtime Red Sox backstop is playing out the final season of a contract extension he inked several years ago and will be a free agent at season’s end. Boston is sitting in the AL East cellar at present. Although the Sox are still just 3.5 games back for the final American League Wild Card spot, they’d need to leapfrog four teams to get there. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom isn’t expected to be an all-out seller, but he’s likely to listen to offers on veteran rentals such as Vazquez and designated hitter J.D. Martinez.
The veteran Vazquez is enjoying a quality seasons on both sides of the ball. He’s hitting .282/.327/.432 (111 wRC+) with eight homers, 20 doubles and a 16% strikeout rate — the second-lowest rate of his career. He’s also notched a +5 Defensive Runs Saved mark and boasts a 30% caught-stealing rate. He’s been narrowly below average in terms of framing, according to both FanGraphs and Statcast, but it’s been a strong all-around year for Vazquez, whose $7MM salary is plenty affordable for most teams — particularly a deep-pocketed club like the Astros. The Sox are reportedly seeking MLB-ready help even in return for their rental pieces, however, which surely complicates matters for the Astros and other interested parties.
Choi, who just turned 31 a couple months ago, is a bit more of an outside-the-box trade candidate. The Rays are currently in possession of that final AL Wild Card spot which the Red Sox are chasing, and the left-handed-hitting Choi has been an important part of their lineup. In 296 plate appearances, Choi is hitting .255/.355/.415 with eight home runs, 16 doubles and a hefty 13.5% walk rate. He has a lengthy track record of thumping right-handed pitching, evidenced by a .252/.359/.464 batting line when holding the platoon advantage.
Lefties have given Choi a harder time. He’s hitting .325 against them this season, granted, but that’s come in a tiny sample of 43 plate appearances. His success against southpaws in this year’s tiny sample is plenty suspect; he’s punched out in 37.2% of his plate appearances against them and is sporting a wholly unsustainable .520 BABIP against same-handed opponents. In all likelihood, he’d fall into a platoon in Houston, yielding at-bats against lefties to Astros stalwart Yuli Gurriel.
Choi is an atypical trade candidate not only due to his status as a productive hitter on a current playoff team but also because he’s controlled beyond the current season. He’s earning an affordable $3.2MM salary this season and would earn one final raise in arbitration this winter before reaching free agency following the 2023 campaign. The Rays, however, have affordable options to step in for Choi at first base, including Yandy Diaz, Harold Ramirez and Isaac Paredes. Top prospect Curtis Mead looks Major League ready after ripping through Double-A and Triple-A this season, too. Furthermore, Tampa Bay has a knack for finding and maximizing the production of undervalued platoon bats of this nature. Choi himself was acquired from the Brewers in a low-profile trade for utilityman Brad Miller in 2018 and has been a fixture in the Rays’ lineup since.
If the Rays were to trade Choi or any other member of their current roster, it surely wouldn’t be a sign that they’re pivoting to a classic “seller” mindset. Tampa Bay walks this line every year, regularly trading quality big leaguers who are inching closer to free agency while simultaneously adding some help in other swaps. They flipped reliever Diego Castillo to the Mariners at last year’s deadline, for instance, and they’re less than 48 hours removed from acquiring veteran outfielder David Peralta from Arizona.
guess he’s getting a new jersey while he’s in town
Choi and Vazquez are not upgrades at all lol that would be horrible to get either of them.
Choi always plays well against the Yankees. Getting him wouldn’t be as bad as you think.
Correct, just because Choi is not a big splash doesn’t mean he will not help…see Braves trades last year
Yes Choi is the Garrett Cole Killer…. aka Cole’s Daddy
Higgy is Cole’s daddy. (Check the splits.)
Vazquez is not an “upgrade” over Maldanado?
———-Maldanado———-Vazquez———
BA———-.173——————.282
OPS+——–64——————-108
WAR——-Neg3—————Pos1.8
DWar—— +0.3—————–+0.9
CS%———25%—————-%30
PB————8 (leads leag)——3
PitchFram–Neg3————–Neg2
Lol, I thought I’d find some stats that favored Maldanado. I was wrong. How is that not better?
Correction: Maldanado’s WAR is Negative 0.3, not “Neg3”.
Gee, you should be the Baseball Ops guy in Houston.
Those are some real dummies over there. A wonder they stay out of the cellar each year, no?
Samuel: What are you getting at? Their front office is currently looking at him. What a dumb thing to say.
They’re looking into a back-up Catcher going into the playoffs because Castro is in questionable health and Lee is a rookie.
If they play Vazquez over Maldonado their pitchers are liable to go out on strike, and their position players may well follow.
BTW, how’s your rotisserie league team doing?
Their position players are going to go on strike for…Martin Maldonado?
Astros are going to give up prospects to acquire Vazquez, only to make him a backup? Not likely.
Yes that is a ridiculous statement
But the point is correct.
Maldonado is absolutely beloved in the dugout and club house
And even with these stats the front office are EXTREMELY happy with him.
They want to do everything they can to keep him the starting catcher and will not replace him unless it’s by Johnny Bench or Ivan Rodriguez.
But they recognize that the other 8 bats are not currently enough to make up for his.
If they make an upgrade at 1B, OF, or DH ( Yordan to LF) then Maldy will remain the catcher regardless of who else they get.
It’s not these stats that really matter to the Stros. Maldonado has been masterful handling the pitching staff. The entire staff raves about him. He’s been especially good guiding the young starters, calming them down when needed. He doesn’t hit much but has 10 HR and 30 RBI so far. When he does hit, it is always a key hit. He’s a leader on the team. Vazquez is very good but would be a backup or platoon at best on the Stros.
Then the Front Office shouldn’t trade for him. Just because Astros may view Maldanado better than Vazquez, it won’t lower his price. Red Sox will be looking for starter compensation in return. Trading the prospects necessary to land him, will not be recouped if he’s used as a backup.
I think the Astros are simply driving up the price of Vasquez. While Bloom is looking for the best return, all things equal and I can’t see him helping Houston.
Well said
Odd;y enough, we could trade either/or JD or Eovaldi and still continue but if we traded Vazquez, we’re done for the season.
Catcher is the most important player(s) / position on a team. And hitting has nothing to do with it. Every quality GM/FO Head I’ve followed for decades understands that.
JoeBrady, if Eovaldi is traded the Sox are folding. We barely have a rotation as it is.
Vasquez could be traded and the Sox still compete. But if the Sox have any chance at all, they have to go through the Astros. Sending Vasquez to Houston is basically a fold too.
Calm before the storm
I would like the Stros to get Vazquez to give Maldonado a strong tandem if the price is reasonable. Not sure about Choi. I know he’s a clutch hitter and great defensively but don’t view him as an upgrade over Yuli, who has more power and RBI potential. Plus Yuli is hitting better now, over the last 3 weeks or so. Would much rather the Stros go after a center fielder with punch.
I also agree CF would be the best upgrade, there just aren’t really any good CF on the trade block.
It is amazingly slow at this deadline. I sense the asking prices are very high on some of the key trades talked about for months.
Most are probably waiting and seeing what others will do before jumping in. If the key rivals do not make a move there may be very little moves.
I wonder if the mega deals will really happen or if it will be minor deals with very little name recognition.
I know the prices are high, but the Soto market is what is slowing everything down. Teams are trying to put the best package together for Soto and other clubs are waiting to see if they can get some of those pieces for their players once the Soto deal is finalized or falls through.
Prices are very high. I blame it on inflation.
F#%* the Astros. They can go someplace else for help.
The Stros will do to you what you suggest gets done to them. We will be in the ALCS for the 6th year in a row and probably in the WS for the 4th time in 6 years whether we pick up Vazquez/ Choi or not.
Altuve couldn’t even take his jersey off in 2019!!! Haha!!!
Don’t worry about it dude. You can live in your fantasy world and continue to lose to the Stros.
And how many rings without banging trashcans?
Just one 🙁
My guess is that years of not sniffing the World Series and being jealous in their continued success is much more playing into your head than any stupid trash cans. That’s ok, we’ll keep being one of the best teams in baseball.
Yuk. The smugness of Houston fans is approaching that of Yankee fans. I used to try to drown out the “trashcan” cries for a variety of reasons. These days, I don’t think I could even try to defend these fans.
Still so cocky, still just the one ring. Kinda hope that’s it.
When the whole world is hates on your team, its kind of the only way to go. People keep hating and bringing up 2017, but we keep winning.
Imagine thinking that’s a put-town. What you are saying is the Astros have ran the AL since 2017 and the playoffs are a crap-shoot.
Do the Astros want Bryan Reynolds? He’s one of the few Pirates that gives a quality MLB at bat each plate appearance. For let’s say… Luis Garcia and Jose Siri?
That would be a great trade for both sides. Reynolds is exactly who the Stros need and Garcia is a quality starter with upside who the Stros can give up as McCullers comes off the injured list ( on his third rehab game on Tuesday).
Siri has great potential, can definitely man center, however has a lot of swing and miss in his game. If he learned to be more disciplined he could be great.
Astros have an advantage in the trade market given their pitching depth and young players with pennant experience.
Not surprised the Astros and Rays are discussing trades given GM Click’s ties to the Rays.
On another note – several teams are scouting the Astros AAA affiliate. RHP Peter Solomon tossed 5 no-hit innings in front of scouts. He is likely to be dealt. Really good command of all 5 of his pitches.
He picked up mph on his cutter.
HIlarious to think the Pirates would trade Reynolds for a 27-year-old hitting .178 and a mid-rotation starter.
That 27 year old hitting .178 has less than 200 PA in the MLB. It takes time to adjust to the best pitchers in the game.
Kyle Tucker hit .214 hIs first 200 PA in the MLB.
And Siri is the best CF in baseball ( statistically in 2022), among the top 5 fastest runners, and 1.1 career bWAR in approximately 1/3 of a season. despite hitting .178 this year.
Not saying he is a star but he has value.
And that mid rotation starter has #1 or #2 starter ceiling with a #3 starter floor. That is exceptionally valuable as there is essentially no risk outside of injury.
He is 25, built like an Italian kitchen and has 4+ years of control.
He has Musgrove potential but his initial transition years are behind him so Pittsburgh won’t waste time getting through them and then lose him just as he becomes a star.
If the Sox feel they have to trade Vazquez, they better get someone MLB ready, preferably some pitching (like Enoli Paredes or Peter Solomon if we’re talking ‘Stros). But still, I think he’s the piece you hold on to and try to extend.
I think it’s a forgone conclusion that JD and Eovaldi are gone. Xander will opt out and get a qualifying offer. So extend Vazquez (unless someone over spends on him) and Devers.
If they get Vazquez then Solomon or Paredes would be a reasonable price tag. Both are MLB ready and have had cups of coffee at the MLB level and actually done pretty well.
I think it’s a preference of starter (Solomon) vs reliever (Paredes). Solomon has struggled a bit in AAA (although he’s pitching in a hitter’s paradise in the PCL), and he’s older. Paredes actually has more MLB experience and has done reasonably well. But I think Solomon is an intriguing piece…I wonder what the Sox would have to include to get both.
As you say both may be a high price for a 1/2 year rental of Vazquez. But maybe Boston could throw in a lower level minor leaguer or two who has upside and Stros could give up both. I personally think Solomon has #3 starter type upside. He’s pitched really well in AAA during July. Paredes has great stuff, his problem has been control in the past which has been much better this year.
The Astros won’t get Vazquez for either of them. One is 26 and the other almost 26, with very little ML experience to recommend them.
You make it sound so easy. Just extend them. Like its Boston’s option, rather than the players. This close to reaching the market as a FA, that’s very unlikely for Vazquez. Would you give him McCann money? He has a case for asking for more than McCann. Would you give Devers more than Rendon got per year on a longer term? He’s gonna want 3B money, even though we all know he should be a 1B or a DH. Even if Boston can afford it, do you really want them to do that?
Of course it’s not that simple, but I’m saying the Red Sox should make those two players a priority. By seasons end, a lot of money is going to come off the books for the Red Sox. Devers is a generational hitter and should be paid appropriately.
Vazquez will be one of the top catchers on the market, and the Red Sox do not have a great plan b option for when he leaves. Why not make the effort?
These are good players and the Red Sox should make efforts to sign/extend them, just like they would make the effort to sign good players who are not currently on their roster. If the player isn’t interested, so be it. But I’m tired of the Red Sox lowballing homegrown talent.
this right here is what drives me insane. ownership spends money on new teams and ventures, but it’s too cheap to pay their players. if you pay your talent, you might win, and guess what, that is going to generate more revenue.
I just wanted to be the first to tell you that the RS spend more than almost anyone in baseball.
But yet they can’t pay and keep their homegrown stars…
That’s because they are paying huge salaries to acquisitions, not because they are cheap. If you want to say they shouldn’t sign expensive outsiders, then you should make that clear.
For the last couple of days, whenever I’m reading an article, it’ll say it was posted like 4 minutes ago. But then when I click to read it, it was actually from an hour or more ago. The article threads are not updating very often. Is anyone else having this problem?
The last couple of days, I’ll read “8 new posts” when I click on it, they don’t highlight anymore. Annoying. — Different than your situation, but timing is the same (2 or 3 days ago).
Yes, there’s a problem with the website.
I have you on Mute but I still see your posts.
Hope they fix it.
What an A-Hole.
Don’t be so hard on yourself.
You mad bro? I wish I knew who you were.
Eovaldi won’t be going anywhere but the IL if he doesn’t show better stuff today against the ‘Stros…
Despite his great numbers, I think its somewhat of a buy low moment on Choi due to his health. A fully healthy Choi would put up even better numbers.
What about Vazquez and J.D. Martinez for Jose Siri, Jose Urquidy, and Peter Solomon? Boston gets rotation help and cheap controllable talent while Houston gets some big bats and catching help to go all in.
As a Boston fan that looks great, but I feel like Houston would not give that much up.
They might. They don’t need Solomon and Urquidy that’s why. And Martinez and Vazquez are very good.
We don’t need another DH who can’t play the field. Yordan is a serviceable outfielder, but we don’t want him playing defense every day, and JD really can’t play the field at all.
Yordan and Martinez can switch off at first base. The Astros do the trade to majorly upgrade their offense.
That would be a fair trade.
Let me see if I have this right.
BOS GETS:
Siri (5.0 trade value)
Solomon (3.0 trade value)
Urquidy (11.1 trade value)
TOTAL VALUE: 19.1
HOU GETS:
2 months of JD Martinez (0.4 trade value)
2 months of Christian Vazquez (0.4 trade value)
TOTAL VALUE: 0.8
Get out of my office. And take your things with you.
Not everything has to go by baseball trade values. Martinez and Vazquez even as rentals are a lot more valuable then 0.8. And while Houston gives up a lot. They don’t need Urquidy and Solomon with their pitching/rotation depth. Plus Siri is just depth for them.
I agree that not every trade has to be fair based on a silly website, but you must admit this trade is unreasonable.
The Astros have literally zero need for a man who can only DH (we already have the best DH in baseball) and aren’t about to give up club-controlled MLB-ready starting pitching for 2 months of a backup catcher.
If you told me JD was a competent 1B and was willing to spend the rest of the season there, you may be on to something.
Your DH can play first base which you desperately need. You already have 6 other starting pitchers so you don’t need Solomon and Urquidy. And Vazquez is a very competent starting catcher. He’s batting 282.
McCormak to center, Tucker to left, and JD can play right. Vazquez has been playing a little first two, he can alternate between there and catcher. I don’t think this is a perfect fit defensively, but would be a great upgrade for the Astros offensively. I think if you do Siri and Solomon for JD and Vazquez, both teams could get behind that.
I don’t think Boston does that. You need Urquidy. You could maybe take Siri out.
our DH cannot play first base, and even though vazquez certainly is good enough to start, he would only play backup to maldonado who is entrenched as starter because of how much the staff loves him. This trade might work under the right circumstances, but these aren’t the right circumstances.
I think they are but that’s my opinion.
I really flip flopped on that. Siri does feel like too little but Urquidy feels like a lot. Maybe I’m too high on him.
Forgot Solomon and Siri…maybe Urquidy and a less household name of a prospect? Nick Hernandez has had a really nice season at Triple A. He’ll be 28 by the end of the year, but looks to be MLB ready.
Why would you move one of the best defensive Right fielders to left and put one of the worst defensive outfielders in Right? That’s probably the most ridiculous thing I’ve read all year.
Hey I didn’t propose the trade, I’m just saying if you want Martinez, that’s where he has to go. He can play right, or he can DH.
Neither Yordan nor Martinez can play 1B.
The Astros have tried multiple times as he was a 1B often in the minors.
For one reason or another it has not worked so they have turned the page.
At least Yordan can play LF.
Yordan and J.D. have a combined ZERO innings of MLB experience at 1B and J.D. has not played the field at all this year.
No way a team plays either of them at 1B in the playoffs.
Look how that worked for Schwarber last year.
Rhys Hoskins for Jose Urquidy
If the phillies add a prospect or two to sweeten the deal, I think that would be a good fair trade.
I don’t think the Phillies do it but I think it’s a very fair trade.
Phillies need to make the playoffs and won’t give up one of best hitters eventhough they need pitching.
This has got to be one of the slowest trade markets in recent memory.
With so many pitchers on the roster, teams can’t afford to have a spot for a speedy pinch runner anymore.
I like Vazquez but it does look like he won’t be accompanying the team back to Boston. If they trade him to Houston i hope its at least right at the deadline so maybe they can skip having to play against him.
I would be surprised to see the Rays trade Choi but they do have other options at 1B and if the Astros are looking his way than the Nats asking price for Bell must be higher than they want to pay