Astros rumors: Team has a contract offer out to Carlos Gonzalez

There are many free agents left on the market, what about Carlos Gonzalez?

Last year, the Houston Astros made a strange move to get Charlie Morton on a two-year contract. While fans wanted the Astros to make a big splashy addition, they got Morton instead. What a great deal that turned out to be as Morton got the final out of the World Series. Not all moves have to be for the biggest name.

Who could be the Astros big pickup this offseason? My guess would be Hector Rondon, a former closer who could impress in 2018. Just when you think the roster is set, you look at all the free agents still on the market. Are there any players that the team could look at to bolster the team?

What about Carlos Gonzalez?

According to ESPN Beisbol, outfielder Carlos Gonzalez has offers from three teams right now. The three teams are the Astros, Padres, and Giants. While the Padres potentially could offer him a longer contract, the other teams could offer the better chance to reach the World Series.

Especially the reigning Astros.

Gonzalez would make some sense for the Astros, to add another left-handed hitter to the lineup. To start off the season, the real Cargo (as opposed to Carlos Gomez) would probably start in left field. He is coming off a down season and perhaps could be had on a 1-2 year deal. With the talent on the Houston roster, going back to back championships is possible.

It would be nice to have a former MVP candidate on the team, but he only hit .262 with 14 homers with a .762 OPS in 2017. With the rising talent in Colorado, he had trouble finding playing time when not hurt. He is two years removed from hitting 40 homers in 2015. Gonzalez is still only 32, so he could be primed for a bounce back season.

No long-term deal for you!

Outside of possibly extending Justin Verlander down the road, the Astros are not known as a team that will go long-term deal with players above 32. There is one problem with signing Gonzalez, what about the young players?

Like signing Carlos Beltran last year, it took playing time away from Derek Fisher and Tyler White. Where would Kyle Tucker fit in the lineup with Gonzalez, George Springer, Fisher, and Josh Reddick? While it’s good to have depth, there are some players that are stalling out at Triple-A.

Next: Astros: How did the McCann and Gattis catching duo do?

The front office is smarter than me, so maybe this would be a good player to add. Without a glaring need, the Astros have been patient. They have waited out the market. If they can get him for a reasonable length/value, good for them. But Fisher could probably offer the same production as Gonzalez.

***Stats from Baseball-Reference***