Astros Rotation Will Survive Without Trade

As we approach the 2015 MLB All-Star Game and the July 31st Trade Deadline, many Astros fans are clamoring for a top-tier starting pitcher that they feel like will get the Astros over the hump this season. Now I can go and write all the pieces that start with, “The Houston Astros should NOT trade for…” but honestly it can be wrapped up more simply than that. The Astros do not need another starting pitcher in 2015, end of story.

Last Year’s SI Astros Feature said 2017 World Series Champs, Not 2015

All Astros fans can agree that the 2015 season has been very fun so far, with this young team winning a lot of games and seizing 1st place in the AL West from the beginning. But, we all must remember that this season has been a SURPRISE.

Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow has built this organization from the ground up ever since he took the job in 2012. Yes, he has made many trades along the way, but not any major ones to break up the long-term vision. Carlos Correa, Mark Appel, Lance McCullers, Preston Tucker, and Tony Kemp are all his guys, and he doesn’t want to part ways with the draft picks that built this team.

A deal for a top-tier pitcher like Cole Hamels, Johnny Cueto, David Price, or anyone else would likely cost the Astros one of those guys, perhaps even two or three. When you look at the big picture of where this team is headed, I don’t think it’s worth sacrificing any of those players for the “Rent a Pitcher” strategy. As of right now, my guess is that Jeff Luhnow feels this way as well. If the club continues to struggle, however, a change of attitude might occur.

Astros Current Rotation is Very Good

When some people call for trades immediately after someone has a bad start, sometimes they need to sit back and examine how that player or group of players is doing overall. Let’s do that with this Astros starting rotation.

First, we have the BEST PITCHER IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE in Dallas Keuchel. Please, Astros fans, let that sink in for just a few seconds. It’s really cool when you appreciate what you have. Keuchel has a 4.6 WAR, 11 wins, 110 strikeouts, and oh yeah, he’s an All-Star.

Second, Lance McCullers and Vincent Velasquez are two of the best young pitchers in the MLB. In the case of the casual Astros fan who doesn’t know who these two pitchers are, you should probably look them up or watch their highlights before watching the Astros lose them and calling for the farm system to be gutted. Both of these guys are future aces in Houston who is already having a huge impact on the team.

McCullers already has a 1.7 WAR after only 10 major league starts, and Velasquez, once he learns to keep his pitch count down, will be able to showcase that 8.72 K/9 that he’s averaging right now. McCullers showed Houston exactly what he was capable of when he threw a complete game against the Orioles, and Velasquez pitched great in a very important game against the Yankees with a sellout crowd in front of him. These guys are very good and need to be recognized before being thrown around in trade talks.

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