The Astros spent most of the offseason looking to add a left-handed hitting outfielder. That hasn’t materialized with three weeks to go before the start of the regular season. General manager Dana Brown suggested the team was still hopeful of making such an acquisition after swapping Jesús Sánchez to Toronto for Joey Loperfido in the middle of February.
An external addition before Opening Day becomes less likely with every day that passes. Nevertheless, manager Joe Espada declined to name starters at any of the three outfield positions over the weekend (link via Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle).
“I’m not ready to say that,” Espada said. “Obviously, we know what Jake Meyers can do in center, I feel really good about that. I feel really good about what Cam Smith can do in right. Zach Cole and the rest of those guys can play all three. But when it comes to who’s in there day one, not there yet.”
On paper, Meyers feels like the safest bet to play every day. He’s a plus defender in center field and is coming off his best season at the plate. The 29-year-old hit .292/.354/.373 with 16 stolen bases and a career-low 17.6% strikeout rate. A right calf strain bothered him during the second half and kept him to just under 400 plate appearances.
Cole and Smith are much less established. The former debuted in September and popped four home runs in his first 15 games. He also struck out 20 times in 52 plate appearances after fanning at a 35% clip in Triple-A. It’s tough to see that profile working over a larger sample unless he makes far more consistent contact.
Smith, a top prospect acquired in the Kyle Tucker trade, hit well for a few months before his numbers cratered in the second half. Smith’s upper minors experience before his promotion consisted of five games at Double-A. It’s impressive that he was able to keep his head above water in the big leagues with such little work against higher level pitching, but he should probably open this season in Triple-A. That’d be easier for the Astros to sort out if they’re able to acquire a veteran corner outfield bat.
Along with the outfield, the back end of the rotation has some uncertainty. Houston added a pair of mid-rotation hopefuls in Tatsuya Imai and Mike Burrows to slot behind Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier. The Astros are planning to begin the season with a six-man rotation. They only have two scheduled off days within the first 28 days. Most teams that sign a high-profile pitcher from Japan also prefer to use a six-man rotation to match the once a week schedule on which NPB starters are used.
The Astros took one-year fliers on Ryan Weiss and Nate Pearson to compete with internal options Lance McCullers Jr., AJ Blubaugh, Spencer Arrighetti and Jason Alexander for the final two jobs. Pearson is out of options and needs to be on the MLB roster in some capacity or exposed to waivers. It looks like he’ll be forced to begin the season on the 15-day injured list, however.
Espada said this afternoon that Pearson has slowed down his throwing program due to elbow soreness (relayed by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com). Pearson, who underwent a cleanup surgery on his elbow over the offseason, had been throwing bullpen sessions. He hasn’t gotten into a Grapefruit League game.
Espada sounds a bit snippy here.
Both the outfield and rotation have lots of options. The downside is these options are all of the mediocre variety. The upside is there’s an opportunity to step forward.
I honestly think that Dana Brown is just saying it to make us happy. Pearson is likely starting the season on the IL where we can just keep him there for some time.
And I don’t think Javier is No. 2, I think Imai is. Burrows right now is a mid rotation starter but could be a “pillar” as Dana Brown says in the near future. And you didn’t list all the Astros starters that they added. They also traded for Kai Wei Teng and there are more internal options.
Alexander threw away his roster chances.
Phillies need a RH bat and another arm. Astros have made sense as a trade partner with the Phillies since the WS ended. They have the second worst ranked farm system is baseball, with hardly any upper minors players ready to matriculate to the big league club. LF has been a huge hole for them, running Jose Altuve and Jordan Alvarez out there in recent seasons, among others.
Phillies acquire: (2)
– Bryan Abreu RHP (1/$6M)
– Jake Meyers OF (1/$3M)
Astros acquire: (4)
– Max Lazar RHP
– Gabriel Rincones Jr. OF (#8)
– Aroon Escobar 2B (#5)
– Felix Reyes 1B/3B/LF (#23)
MLBTR.com has reported multiple times that the Astros are looking to shed “up to $10M” from their books, while adding to a barren farm system. Rincones Jr. is about to turn 25 years old, he would be their starting LF, Cole in CF. Cuban born Aroon Escobar is a 20 year 2B with plate discipline beyond his years, expected to start the season at AA Reading. He was consensus top 100 player in the sport and would instantly become Houston’s #1 prospect for the Astros. Needs another year or two of development – just in time to replace franchise icon Jose Altuve at the Keystone. Rincones Jr. would crack their top 5 as well, adding balance to a RH heavy lineup. Reyes also bats from the LH side with pop, honored as Phillies AA Minor League POY in 2025.
Would it sting to see the Phillies trade two top 10 prospects? Of course. But Abreu would form an 8th inning tandem with Jose Alvarado, allowing guys like Kerkering, Keller and Banks to work the 7th. Meyers would provide the Phillies with some insurance on their 21 year old rookie CF, occasionally spelling Crawford against LHP – to take some pressure off the kid. Meyers has good range and a solid throwing arm, plus a very low K rate at the plate. Super 4th OF’er for a Phillies team with a lot of swing and miss up and down their lineup, would also play some LF vs. LHP and spot Adolis Garcia in RF against certain RHP’s. My original trade proposal was similar, with Castellanos ($20M) going to Houston in the deal and McCullers ($17M) heading back to Philly. This hypothetical trade would have accomplished financial motives for both teams, in addition to on-field objectives of both clubs.
Your thinking Dana Brown is dumb?
We won’t trade Bryan Abreu unless we get another high leverage reliever. Trade proposals for Abreu include a controllable arm and top prospect in many farm systems. To get those to, send over…
Rincos Jr, Kerking, Chace and Pan.
Stop overvaluing your players.
Meyers has a noodle arm. But yeah, he tracks down everything.
It’s taken me some 60 plus years to forget about Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio. Thank God I won’t live that long to see the disaster that was Cam Smith for Kyle Tucker.
Cam Smith will break out this year or next year. Are you saying you won’t live 2 more years?