The Astros are losing Framber Valdez to free agency, leaving them in need of multiple starting pitchers behind ace Hunter Brown. Houston has taken cheap one-year fliers on former top prospect Nate Pearson and KBO returnee Ryan Weiss to compete for spots at the back of the staff. Those are fine dice rolls, but they’ll need to acquire someone whom they can comfortably slot alongside Cristian Javier in the middle of the rotation.
If owner Jim Crane remains loathe to cross the luxury tax line, the front office won’t have much flexibility to add free agent starting pitching. Chandler Rome of The Athletic writes that the club is indeed more likely to address the rotation via trade. One of the league’s weakest farm systems won’t do them any favors, so they might be looking at dealing from the MLB roster to accomplish that.
Houston is reportedly open to dealing standout defensive center fielder Jake Meyers for pitching. Meyers is coming off a career-best season at the plate and is controllable via arbitration for two seasons. He’s the best trade chip in the Houston outfield, but he’s not the only candidate to move this offseason. Rome reports that the Astros have gotten interest from other clubs in right fielder Jesús Sánchez as well.
That could explain why Sánchez remains on the roster at all. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him for a $6.5MM salary in his third of four trips through the arbitration process. It came as a surprise that Houston tendered him a contract. Sánchez had a very poor finish to the 2025 season, batting .199/.269/.342 over 160 plate appearances after being acquired from Miami at the trade deadline. Combined with the escalating salaries and the payroll restrictions, it made him a non-tender candidate.
General manager Dana Brown acknowledged at last month’s GM Meetings that he was open to trade inquiries on Sánchez. Even if they’re not especially interested in paying him $6-7MM, it seems they found enough interest that they didn’t want to let him go for no return.
Sánchez isn’t going to net a mid-rotation arm, but it’s possible they swap him for a back-end starter. Teams like the Royals, Pirates, Guardians and Phillies could look to the trade market for a corner outfielder. While Sánchez has never lived up to his billing as a top prospect, he was an alright everyday player throughout his time with the Marlins. He was a league average hitter between 2021 and the ’25 deadline, hitting .246/.312/.432 in nearly 1900 plate appearances. He has plus bat speed and has typically posted strong exit velocities, though his batted ball metrics also collapsed in Houston.
Even if the Astros are unlikely to swap Sánchez for their biggest rotation pickup of the offseason, a change-of-scenery deal would create a bit of spending room. Trading both Sánchez and Meyers would leave them very thin in the outfield, and dealing the former would subtract one of their few left-handed bats. While Dana Brown has already said they’re not interested in moving Isaac Paredes, that might be something the front office needs to consider later in the offseason if they can’t find a mid-rotation arm in a different way.
6.5 for .199
In 2025 he hit .237 14 HRs. The .199 was his last 160 at bats.
Sánchez is the very definition of mediocrity.
Been saying since the day after the World Series, Sanchez and Paredes for Keller and Bart. Money almost even and takes care of two needs for each team
Your 4 sure a Pirates fan. Parades Parades is more valuable then the WHOLE package. The package for Parades must be loaded till something that even Dana Brown says yes. For Parades, it’s gotta be overpay. This deal is not favorable to the Astros, instead the Pirates.
Something surrounding Paredes for Duran makes a ton of sense. Sox get their third baseman and the Astros get a dynamic everyday left fielder. It also allows Alvarez to focus more on DHing and staying healthy than having to play the outfield every few games
No matter how convoluted our positional alignment gets, Paredes is going nowhere. He’s the 2nd most important bat in the lineup. Dana Brown has talked repeatedly about how the team needs to get more patient and work more counts, and Paredes is the best in baseball at that.
They want Altuve to DH.
He hits “better” while DH. The Astros don’t want a strikeout hitter. That’s the only flaw. Parades takes, the Astros need more hitters to work counts and not strikeout to make it to the postseason.
@noquarter89.
Your an Astros fan I assume.
Parades isn’t going to go unless you give an insane offer that will make Red Sox fans cry.
I am, And yeah to me Paredes should be as close to untouchable as any player on the roster.
That’s correct. I am a Pirates fan. I would love Paredes. I guess I’ve been messing around on BTV too much lately. On that Paredes has very little surplus value because only one year of control left and then will get big payday. So he’s basically a one year rental.
Parades is not a rental, he is under control for 2027.
LOL
From the outside it looks like the Astros created this problem by trading for Correa. If you take his money off the books, you have the money to acquire a more established SP, and you dont have to try and pigeonhole Paredes around Correa and Christian Walker’s corpse.
Dana Brown is looking like yet another GM with a gift for scouting and drafting- and absolutely no clue how to assemble a roster.
Correa was a Crane decision more than Brown. We’re paying Correa like 17.5M per year too and I suppose you can find a SP at that price point. But whether Correa or mid rotation starter is more useful to the 2026 Astros is surprisingly debatable. We also have plenty of starters that would cost that amount in FA – Javier/Spaghetti/McCullers/Alexander/France/Weneski/Weiss – you’d just be trading out Correa for a shot at more certainty there.
Thats my intuition as well, Crane seems like he can hire really talented people, but then randomly decides he knows better and saddles said talented people with terrible contracts on a relatively tight budget.
Jesus will be a superstar. Do you think he’s what they see he are?
Oh Christ, not that again.
Johan Oviedo and PTBNL for Jesus Sánchez. Oviedo was coming back from TJ this past season. Pirates have a loaded pitching staff and Oviedo ate innings and pitched pretty good before his injury. He’d be perfect candidate for the Astros and controllable for 3 years (gain a year due to injury). The salaries are about 3-5 million apart and a PTBNL covers a bit more of the difference. They won’t get a BA top 100 prospect or anyone within the top 15 rankings amongst Pirates farmhands. There is plenty of choices like Mitch Jebb, Tony Blanco Jr, or Jack Brannigan if they want to add some depth to the OF or adding depth to the left side of the INF. It is probably more of an overkill by adding a PTBNL, I just was trying to figure out the salaries differences.
I don’t see Pirates finding Sanchez’s bat very enticing. The guy looked completely disengaged and non-competitive with the Astros. Pirates should and could do better and aim higher.
Oviedo is worth far more than a mediocre outfielder
Are you really a Pirates fan?
You would likely offer Keller first.
Are you an Astros fan?
No way the Pirates trade Keller for Sanchez.
No. They would trade Keller before Oviedo.
But I’m Astros fan
Keller is more of a lock to stay in Pittsburgh than Oviedo. Oviedo is just as expendable as Luis Ortiz was a few years ago.
You mean the PTBNL going to Pittsburgh right? Oviedo should be valued higher than Sanchez. He was a non-tender candidate.
Ugh brutal pitching situation in Houston. I’m not feeling any good vibes emanating from the great state of Texas this offseason.
Sadly we don’t have the system to trade for an ace on the trade market or the willingness to spend for an ace on the FA market. Guess we’ll settle with Merrill Kelly or someone like that.
The reason for the RF disaster was injury. Robles and Raley both missed most of the year.
Sanchez can play anywhere. He’s very streaky with Houston.
0-28
The next game…
5 HIT GAME!!!
(It actaully happened)
Issac Parades (for those of you that aren’t Astros fans), the Astros won’t deal Parades for stuff. They want an strong package that blows the doors off before moving. To get Parades, overpay is the only way to get Parades.
I would actually partner BOTH Meyers and Sanchez. That’s going to fetch more.
If you trade both, why not put them in the same package so you can get more?
What about?
Jesus Sanchez and Jake Meyers
for
RHP Ryan Bergert, RHP Stephen Kolek, LHP Justin Lamkin
You’re not getting those 3 for 2 average outfielders with far less team control. Plus then Houston would have to add an outfielder so they’d be playing musical chairs rather than addressing a need.
Meyers is not an “average outfielder”.
Meyers is not getting you 5 years of a #3 level starter. He isn’t elite like your trade offer suggests. Meyers and Sanchez have back-end rotation with less team control value.
Astros not even sure Paredes will be ready for ST. Could be dealing with a chronic hammy issue. If he’s traded that says a lot.
Spring Training?
Opening day!
He is controlled for 2027, 2028, and early 2026. So he still has quite a bit of trade value. Maybe not as much, but still quite a bit.
Hancock and prospect for Sanchez?
Ummmmm….
Since Seattle is in the AL West, Astros may charge more for Sanchez.
For at most a mediocre hitter earning $6.5m? Seattle likely says no to Hancock one for one. As a contender, they’re looking for a steadier player.
The Mariners would much rather let Robles, Raley and Canzone fight for RF time than pay for Sanchez. The issue last year was mostly the 2 months of Taveras where he had a -1 WAR.
Ha! You’d be lucky to get Hancock and a cup of Ivor’s day-old clams for Sanchez. Brown should be fired for not cutting him free…
Sure get rid of your entire outfield! I mean not that they’re that great, but what the heck is Houston doing overall?
Looking to add Springer after Jays make another huge signing?
Phillies don’t need Sanchez, another lefty OF…
Royals are taking calls on Kris Bubic and looking to improve 2B and OF.
Sanchez, Shay Whitcomb, and James Hicks for Bubic.
The money is about a wash.
Whitcomb is much more of a bat over glove infielder and 2B is his best position (He also plays 3B, SS, and LF). He has nothing left to prove in AAA (50hr and 128 wRC+ in 215g/818PA the past two seasons) but has been buried by Altuve and Dubon.
Hicks is not a toolsy prospect. He profiles as a solid #3-4 SP but has progressed steadily, just won the Arizina Fall League pitcher of the year and doesn’t need to be added to the 40 man roster until after 2026.
Bruh that’s delusional. Whitcomb is a AAAA player who’s gonna get DFA’d at the first roster crunch. He has no value. Sanchez almost got non-tendered. He’s at best a buy-low candidate. We are not getting Bubic for that package, not even close.
I respect your passion and opinion.
In my opinion:
Sanchez “almost got non-tendered” because the Astros have a big payroll issue and they weren’t sure if they could afford his projected $6.5M when he is not a star and they have 2 young LH outfielders who can fill his role for MLB minimum. He has been a positive value player every year of his career including 2025.
They did tender him because several teams are interested meaning he has value and teams like him.
Fangraphs projects him for a .755 OPS which is higher than all but 4 current Royals.
Fangraphs projects him for 1.3 WAR in 378 PAs that total would be 9th on the Royals and 7 of the 8 ahead of him have 525+ PAs. Per PA he would be 4th.
He instantly would be the most productive OF on the team.
How can you say Whitcomb is a AAAA player after 78 PAs between 2 seasons? I’m not saying he’s a star, but he has destroyed AAA and never had a chance in MLB.
The Royals top two 2B on their depth chart each project for negative WAR. Shay projects for 0.1 in 49 PAs. It’s reasonable to think he can get 0.5 in 300 PAs It’s not gonna make an all star team, but better than negative. And if he hits half as well as he has in AAA, he is a 3 WAR player with 20+ HR At 2B for 6 seasons. It’s trading for and betting on upside.
As far as the SP prospect, maybe the Astros need to give up a better one. They have several that are close in value.
Maybe Bryce Mayer or Ethan Pecko? I’m fine with that. There are 3 or 4 that I would not want to give up for a rental, but the Royals could have their pick from the rest.
This trade instantly makes the Royals better at their 2 weakest positions. And they get a future starting pitcher.
Maybe the Royals can get better, the starting pitcher market is crazy, but Bubic projects for 2.4 fWAR. Thats not exactly an all star either.
I stand by my opinion that this is fair value for fair value and would be good for the Royals based on needs.
Whitcomb is a 27 year old unranked prospect with AAA numbers that are severely inflated by the PCL. He’s a defensive liability at basically every position except 1B and LF. He’s a warm body. We aren’t getting anything for him.
Sanchez has -some- value but he’s not gonna be the centerpiece of a trade for a notable player like Bubic.
As I have said I respect your opinion.
You are probably right. In 2025, a starting pitcher projected for 2.4 WAR might as well be projected for 4 WAR.
Regardless if I think its fair, MLB front offices see things your way. They would rather have 1 star and 2 dogs than 3 potential solid players.
Just for your information though wRC+ is league adjusted. 128 means he was 28% better than other hitters in that league, so its not inflated. That’s why I sued it. HRs are just HRs they are the stat every wants to see.
Good luck to you.
HRs are exactly the stat that everyone is skeptical of in the PCL because almost every ballpark is basically Coors Field.
Which is why I included wRC+
Not seeing the logic of expending bubic on Sanchez, low ceiling 40 man depth and a low ceiling pitching prospect for the royals. They’d be better off to bring Yaz back on 1 or 2 year deal at a what would probably be a marginally higher price than Sanchez and flip bubic to address another need. The royals aren’t lacking for back of the rotation options in their system and they can ill afford Sanchez and his risky offensive profile. Yaz has a more consistent track record and better floor offensively and defensively imo. The royals need to be especially mindful of defense given Kauffman’s huge outfield.
Conversely, it seems like an odd move for the astros given bubic’s injury history, limited window of team control, and relatively short track record of notable rotation performance. If Hicks has the solid 3-4 upside/floor you suggest, seems to me that a fiscally constrained pitching needy team like Houston would be better off to keep him.
The Astros are in win now mode and NEED a #2 starter but have very little money to spend.
They have Hunter Brown, a couple 3-4s and several #5 starters.
They have 3 recovering from TJS who profile as low end #2s-#4s but won’t he healthy until after the trade deadline or possibly next year.
They also have half a dozen or so starter prospects who are 1-2 years away who have #2 ceilings.
They don’t really need a #2 for 2027 but they need a cheap one for 2026.
I would think they would even improve the offer.
Sanchez needs to be included and he does fit the Royals’ needs.
But to get Bubic, I think the Astros may even upgrade the other 2 pieces.
Of course, Bubic is still a rental and coming off an injury riddled season so its not reasobable to expect top 10 type prospects.
How about Jackson Nezuh? He’s also a AA SP but Astros #14 per mlbpipeline and #15 per Fangraphs (Hicks is 26 and 25 but likely to rise after his AFL performance).
There really isn’t another 2B that fits, but maybe another OF? Luis Baez, a bat first corner OF/1B. His stock is down somewhat but made it to AA in 2025. Mlbpipeline #22 and fangraphs #13. Big power and arm but not a fast runner. At least he is a prospect and not a “AAAA guy”
Why would you trade Hancock to downgrade at RF. Canzone was more productive in 80 games last year than Sanchez was in 140 and costs 5M less. Houston saves 6.5M while adding a potential backend starter so Seattle can add depth in Tacoma???
Everybody is focusing on the short stint he had with Houston. He did have solid numbers with the Marlins (except 2020 and 2022)
Heck no, Oviedo can fetch way more than this garbage
Ryan Feltner or Chase Dollander are about the best you could hope for, if the Rockies see a spark in Jesus’ weak bat.
I would rather trade Sanchez over Meyers. People are strange.
Meyers had a breakout season and people are like, “blah blah blah, it’s only 1 career season, otherwise he sucks. blah blah blah”
Sanchez, “oh Sanchez had a bad 2 month stretch, blah blah blah, he’s a light bat, I don’t care he batted .256, .252 in 2024, .253 in 2023 with the Marlins blah blah blah”
I REALLY like Meyers’ defense.
Ideally, I want 8 guys who are great hitters and then Meyers hitting 9th.
The team does not have that luxury.
If they trade for Donovan or if they expect Yordan, Altuve (or even Paredes) to play extensive LF it would be nice to have Jake able to run into the gap.
If they can’t add a plus LH bat they need to trade him and give Cole or Melton (or Matthews) a chance to produce at the bottom of the lineup.
I think Sanchez and his $6.5M needs to be traded for starting pitching.
Shop Sanchez first. He’s more expensive and isn’t a fan favorite.
I had another thought about Sanchez.
The reason he is projected for only 378 PAs is because he sits vs LHP. He’s a platoon bat.
He’s very good vs RHP, which is 70%, 111 wRC+ for his career but BAD vs lefties.
With him on the roster, they need Cam Smith to start vs lefties.
If they can get a lefty hitting corner outfielder who can also hit vs lefties to replace him then they have the freedom to send Cam Smith to AAA if he struggles.
I love Meyers too but it’s definitely prudent to sell high, his value will never be higher. Defensively, the drop from him to Melton or Cole is minimal, both of those guys are just as athletic (and have way better arms). Sanchez will have significantly less value and won’t bring back anything more than a project on his own. Of course if you trade Meyers you pretty much have to trade Sanchez too, because if you’re going with Cole or Melton in CF, you’re gonna need a 4th OF who bats right handed and can play CF as those guys will very likely need a platoon partner.
My thoughts if the trade Meyers (I think Sanchez is traded regardless)
If Cole or Melton win CF outright, cool but if not then platoon one of them with Matthews and send the other to AAA
Then have a run producing LH bat that can play LF and RF.
Cam Smith needs time in RF unless he’s in AAA
Zach Dezenzo is 4th/5th OF for LF and RF
Yeah they definitely don’t have room for both Melton and Cole on the roster. One wins the job the other goes to AAA. I don’t want Matthews platooning though; the left handed hitter gets the lion’s share of the playing time in a platoon situation and I don’t want Matthews spending over half his time on the bench. Like Cam, he needs every day ABs whether it’s in AAA or the MLB.
Not sure where you’re finding ABs for this run producing left-handed corner OF if Cam is playing everyday unless Walker is traded.
Tetris
My dream is Brendan Donovan.
DFA Nick Allen. (I can’t believe they even got him) hopefully someone claims him, if not just eat the $1-1.2M
Allen makes a fine last man on the bench. I don’t mind having him, he’s just gonna be an emergency player/late defensive replacement anyway. Basically a better Grae Kessinger.
Donovan is definitely the dream. I don’t think we have the assets to get him though. Jeff McNeil however is basically a poor man’s Brendan Donovan and we could definitely land him as a part of a Christian Walker trade.
If Sanchez is traded, Smith may be bench.
Smith can’t be bench. He needs to start whether it’s AAA or the majors.
Why can’t Smith be a bench player?
Because that would be bad for his development. He’s the future of the franchise. He needs everyday reps.
Oh thanks. I think eventually Astros will extend Smith (not now). A lot of this is going to be what’s happening in the offseason and his Spring Training results.