Get ready for the Trade Deadline Introduction by ClintTheScout. This will set the framework for all of the coverage here at LarryTheGM.com.
It’s important for us to give credit where it’s due; the Astros have done a phenomenal job to get to 50-46 for the season. It was an abysmal April, followed by a sluggish May and then a June and July that catapulted them just one game back of the division lead. The team shed some dead weight, worked through injuries and had a lot of young players step up in big ways.
Read our coverage of the 1H Highs and Lows here.
Now, with 66 games left in the season and a trade deadline only 13 days away, the Astros must turn their attention to how to bolster this roster.
There are approximately 600 innings to be played, 200-300 at-bats to be had and a lot of pitches to be thrown in between. The Astros rotation has starters who are not privy to throwing over 125 innings in a season, relief pitchers that are underperforming and some hitters that haven’t found their stride.
So, what do the Astros do here? Well, the first question to ask yourself is do we have the money for any of the things we want? Do we have the prospects to entice teams to sell their studs?
Fans, I’d temper expectations.
Read our coverage of trade deadline needs here
What we need to consider are the obvious needs. The amount innings and pitches are the major concern. We have no real understanding of the health and progress of Justin Verlander and Luis Garcia, and Lance McCullers Jr. continues to be unavailable for the team. Our position players continue to stay healthy outside of Kyle Tucker, which we hope will return soon. There’s optimism, but it’s cautious optimism.
Names like Jack Flaherty and Camilo Doval come to mind when I scour the depths of potential trade targets. I would love for Dana Brown and the front office to evaluate their outfielders and make some decisions on how to use one of possibly two of them to acquire the pitching that is needed.
You currently have Jake Meyers, Chas McCormick, Trey Cabbage and Joey Loperfido on the active roster. However, you have Cooper Hummel and Pedro Leon in Sugarland, Jacob Melton in Corpus Christi. There’s a plethora of outfielders who may easily age themselves out of any value.
The downside to looking for quality pitching is the dollar signs related to them. Jim Crane took it on the chin when he released Jose Abreu. He’s on the wrong side of the return on the contract he gave Rafael Montero. They have yet to truly benefit from McCullers after he signed an extension through 2026. And now Crane has a big decision, to subsidize this roster or not. You may say he owes this team for poor decisions, and I’d agree completely with that.
So, my question to the readers are:
Are these the type of questions/concerns you have?
Do you get this type of material from other sites/socials?
Do you like the challenge of truly understanding the game within the game?
Well, you’re in luck. Here at LarryTheGM.com, that’s exactly what we do. We play the game within the game with our analysis, commentary and coverage of the Houston Astros.
We will be live tonight talking about all of this and more at 8pm. Don’t miss it.
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