Astros: Josh Reddick trade still possible after Marisnick deal

It sounds like the Astros may still trade Josh Reddick.

In the wake of the Astros trading Jake Marisnick to the Mets, the question remains as to whether they may also trade Josh Reddick this offseason. They don’t necessarily have to trade him now, but could certainly use some extra payroll space.

Looking into Jeff Luhnow’s comments following the Marisnick trade sheds some light onto their plans. He noted that Myles Straw would be the biggest beneficiary, which makes sense. Straw provides the defense and speed they had with Marisnick, and he does it at a cheaper price.

Luhnow also talked about Kyle Tucker and how both he and Straw have the chance for dramatically expanded roles next season. He did mention Reddick, but most of his comments were seemingly regarding Straw and Tucker. This could lead one to believe that Reddick might not be a big part of the team’s plans for 2020.

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Money Talks

We’ve talked nearly ad nauseum about the team’s budget crunch for next season. They were already projected to be over the luxury tax line and would have to get creative to come in under that while filling all their needs. But they’ve taken a few small steps toward that end already.

The moves to re-sign Joe Biagini, non-tender Aaron Sanchez and trade Marisnick have resulted in a savings of around $9.1 million. Reddick, who may not be ticketed for an everyday role in 2020 after two mediocre seasons at the plate, is set to earn $13 million next season.

As we’ve examined, it won’t be easy to trade him, and in fact it may be a pipe dream to think they can unload all of his $13 million paycheck. But even getting rid of a chunk of that will be helpful, especially if they can open up an everyday spot for Tucker and bring back a low level prospect or two.

I would expect Luhnow to continue working to find a partner to take Reddick and save as much money as he can. If a deal can’t be found, Reddick could find himself in a timeshare with Tucker in right field next year. $13 million is an awful lot to pay for a part-time player.