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Could Twins ‘ace’ Ervin Santana be that much of an upgrade for the Astros?
With the MLB trade deadline on Monday, there will be a lot going on for Jeff Luhnow. The Houston Astros have a 67-34 record with a 17 game lead in the AL West. Fans are probably tired of hearing that the team has a big enough lead, especially after a 9-0 loss Wednesday. Even the best teams in baseball have bad games, no one is perfect.
The Astros have a close to a perfect team with a few minor holes. The return of Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh will help with the rotation, but they could still chase a top starter. While the top starters are Sonny Gray and Yu Darvish, there could be a few bargains out there.
Ervin Santana
What if I told you that there is a pitcher out there with eight playoff games under his belt? The same pitcher was considered at one point this season a Cy Young candidate. He was also pitching for a possible playoff team, until the team started struggling.
#Astros (pen focused) said to be seeking "true difference maker" to bolster rotation. Have done background work on Ervin. Doing more now.
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) July 27, 2017
According to Twins beat writer Mike Berardino, the Astros were doing background work on Ervin Santana. He states the Astros are looking for a difference maker. Let’s see if he can be that big upgrade for the playoffs. Later he warned of a velocity drop.
Source familiar w/#Astros search is "sure (Ervin) Santana will be looked at closely" by team w/AL's best record. Recent velo dip a concern.
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) July 27, 2017
The playoff thing is a stretch as Santana only started two of those eight games. In his playoffs experience, Santana has a 5.56 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings. He was effective in the 2009 playoffs with the Angels as a reliever. He tried to stop the White Sox in the 2005 ALCS, but was crushed.
Santana is not a sexy name, but he is the ace of the Royals this year. Through his first six starts, Santana’s ERA was 0.66. Since then, his ERA has risen to a still respectable 3.37. Since that great start, Santana has gone 6-7 with a 4.53 pitcher.
Next: Astros Astros Rumors: The Latest on a Verlander/Wilson Trade
For the season, Santana has 104 strikeouts in 136 1/3 innings. While his season stats may compare well to Mike Fiers this time, is he really that much of an upgrade?
***Stats from Baseball-Reference***