Astros Rumors: The Mandatory Jose Quintana Update

Time for another Jose Quintana rumor that involves the Astros. Oh, joy!

Spring Training is in full swing, and the Astros are prepping for the 2017 season. Regarding baseball, life is good.

However, the rumor mill continues to churn. And Jose Quintana is in the middle of it.

Per Bruce Levine CBS Chicago, the Astros are one of four teams that are thought to be in play for Quintana. The St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Yankees are also in the conversation.

At this point, there is really isn’t anything new to report on the Astros front.

It is to no surprise that Houston remains interested in the talented right-hander. And this interest may continue to increase if Collin McHugh is unable to pitch for an extended amount of time.

The truly interesting part of this latest rumor update is that the St. Louis Cardinals are now involved. Of course, this comes on the heels of Alex Reyes, the Cardinals top pitching prospect, needing Tommy John surgery.

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But the edge in potential trades probably lies in the Stros and Yankees deep farm systems. Don’t forget that both systems are regarded amongst the best in the game today. However, you cannot discount the Cardinals and Pirates, and their efforts.

The White Sox though do not seem in a rush to make a trade unless their price is met. Levine notes in his article how Quintana’s contract is part of the “allure.” This allows the White Sox time to land the best possible offer for the left-handed pitcher without losing value. In fact, a strong first half this season could push Quintana’s value even higher than before.

Next: WBC Gives Young Players the Chance to Shine

Frankly, I would be surprised to see the Stros give in to the White Sox’s demands in Spring Training. The trade deadline could be a time to consummate a trade. But like I stated earlier, this opinion could change on McHugh’s status going forward.