Houston Astros and Phillies reportedly in talks for Ken Giles?

Houston Astros Rumors: Luhnow Targeting Ken Giles?

Get an oven mitt Houston Astros fans, because the stove is about to get hot with the winter meetings approaching. According to Bob Nightengale, “the Astros will definitely land a reliever this winter, it just depends on which one, with Reds Chapman on top of the list.” While, like the possibility of Chris Carter no longer being an Astro, a bullpen addition is not breaking news. What is breaking news is the players that are rumored to be being discussed.

According to Jerry Crasnick, the Astros and Phillies are discussing a trade involving closer Ken Giles. With extended team control and the lively arm, teams will be willing to look past the fact that he does not have extensive closing experience. Many Astros fans on Twitter are balking at a few of the names that are being brought up in the trade talks between Astros and Phillies.

Giles would be a great addition to the Astros bullpen, push Luke Gregerson back to the setup guy, and everyone else moves down the pecking order strengthening the team. However, according to Crasnick, the names that are being tossed around is Lance McCullers Jr. and Vincent Velasquez. Hold up, wait a minute, they want our top two young pitchers? Jeff Luhnow, hang up the phone.

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While I think Velasquez has tremendous potential, I would rather trade him than McCullers, who proved more in his time with the Astros. In an interview with Jim Stevenson, McCullers name came up, and he described him as special. He said that McCullers will win a Cy Young one day. With the comparisons of McCullers to Roy Oswalt, in my opinion, this is a player who you need to hold onto at all costs.

A Giles trade would need more than just Velasquez to get the job done, McCullers straight up for Giles is probably what the Phillies were leaning to. McCullers went 6-7/ 3.22 ERA with 129 strikeouts over 125 2/3 innings. Included in that is the dominating start where he pitched a complete game shutout. He demonstrates top of the rotation stuff with further refinement. Jayson Stark believes the same.

Crasnick said that other teams were in on Giles as well. This normally translates into one team increasing the package to acquire that player. While Giles would help, there are pieces on the roster that could be converted into a dominating reliever. Totally kidding, but Dallas Keuchel proved he couldn’t handle the bullpen in Game-Five of the ALDS, so he should stick in the rotation. I wrote about Giles earlier below.

Houston Astros Bullpen: Is Ken Giles the Answer to the Astros Bullpen?

The Astros appear to be in on any reliever on the trade market, including Aroldis Chapman. With people guaranteeing that the Astros will trade for a reliever, it is fun to imagine all the possibilities.

Next: Houston Astros: Is the Fate of Chris Carter Sealed?

It was also reported that Astros owner Jim Crane is a fan of Chapman, does this factor in at all? Will he give the green-light for an all-out push? We will see as the Astros front office heads to the Winter Meetings next week.