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Houston Astros Rumors: Do the Stros need Justin Upton?
By Eric Huysman
Houston Astros Rumors: Do the Stros need Justin Upton?
Jun 20, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; San Diego Padres left fielder Justin Upton (10) looks on prior to the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
The good thing about the Houston Astros is that they are in contention to be in the playoff hunt in the 2015 season. The bad news is that they are not ready to be contenders with several holes on their roster. No, I am not saying the Astros are bad, but they have accelerated the process and are relevant sooner than they thought. They are also dealing with some down seasons from some key players including the number three hitter last year Jason Castro and 2014 home run leader Chris Carter. At the time of writing, the perceived holes in the Astros are starting pitcher, first base, reliever, outfielder, and catcher.
So far I have addressed some of these concerns in the post below.
Houston Astros Rumors: The Reliever Market
The Houston Astros have a problem at first base
Houston Astros Rumors: Padres make James Shields available
Houston Astros Rumors: Tyson Ross a Possibility?
Houston Astros: CTH’s July Trade Deadline Preview
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The two weaknesses that I have not addressed are the outfield spot and at catcher. I don’t think Astros fans should expect any trades to upgrade at the catcher spot unless they trade for a player like Jonathan Lucroy from the Brewers, who can play first and catcher. It appears that Hank Conger has taken over more of the catching duties recently.
While the Astros are short George Springer until September, they have some options on the major league roster to fill in for a month. The big difference is that we don’t really have a star outfielder right now on the team, just 4-5 players rotating in and out. Colby Rasmus, Jake Marisnick, Preston Tucker, and L.J. Hoes are the current Astros outfielders with Evan Gattis occasionally filling the role.
Do the Astros need Justin Upton, or should they upgrade elsewhere?
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