Do the Astros have a catcher upgrade option on the trade market?

First of all, I start with a disclaimer. I hate these kinds of articles. They are the toughest to write because they are the ones I hate reading the most. It is easy to imagine any kind of trade. They are usually the ones on call in radio where someone asks, "can we trade Zach Cole for Mike Trout? I'll hang up and listen."

So, the hard part is imagining who is available and what they would reasonably cost. So, the list I provide is not an exhaustive list because such a list doesn't exist. Any good general manager picks up the phone when there is another general manager on the line and they will always listen even if the answer is no. Famously, there was a deal on the table to trade Ted Williams for Joe DiMaggio. Neither team wanted to trade their guy, but when the guy on the other end offers you something you can't pass up, you have to listen.

As a writer, I have to build some level of credibility. So, the names I offer are names I forsee could be available. Now, what would it take to get them? That ends up being conjecture on top of conjecture. I offer these caveats because credibility is the only thing I'm not willing to sell. However, if people want an upgrade or an alternative then this what is on the table.

Sean Murphy

Advantages: Murphy has been a regular catcher for most of his career. His ,226/.322/.419 slash line isn't going to make anyone forget Mike Piazza, but that translates to a 107 OPS+ for his career. Throw in the 20 fielding runs (according to baseball-reference.com) and that is nothing to sneeze at. So, the track record is that of an above average all around catcher. He lost his job to Drake Baldwin, so he could be available for less.

Disadvantages: He is owed 30 million dollars for the next two seasons with an option for a third. He was hurt this past season and is marginally a two win player when healthy. So, it isn't exactly bang for your buck and he is entering his age 32 season which is usually the beginning of the end for catchers. You are essentially paying an extra year for a player who may not be viable beyond 2027. Of course, beyond 2027 you may be looking at Jason Schiavone and Walker Janek anyway.

Francisco Alvarez

Advantages: He is 24, so he is pretty young for a guy that has been around for a few years. He has never been more than a 1.8 bWAR player in his four seasons in the big leagues. That has largely been because of injuries, but you would be theoretically buying low on a potential long-term asset. In his four season, he has never produced less than a .710 OPS, so you would be getting a comparable offensive player to what Yainer Diaz has given you.

Disadvantage: You aren't going to steal him for peanuts. The Mets have been a theoretical landing place for Christian Walker, so that would seem to be a decent starting spot in a negotiation. The Mets would certainly demand a sweetener because only an idiot would trade a young controllable catcher for just Walker. Would including one of your top prospects get it done? Maybe so, but then you have to ask yourself if that is worth it.

Connor Wong

Advantages: The Red Sox seem ready to move forward with Adley Rutschman as their primary catcher, so a former regular catcher might be a luxury for them. He was a two win player at his best, but the numbers are all over the place. He was +11 defensively one season and then -11 defensively the next. On balance he is neutral defensively and around league average offensively when he is at his best.

Disadvantages: I'm not sure on the fit. The Astros and Red Sox could never line up on a Paredes deal, so I don't know where the meeting of the minds would come. Wong might not be a regular catcher given the volatility of his numbers so far. At his best, he is clearly a regular catcher. When he isn't right he is more of a backup. If Diaz is the guy, then you could do a lot worse than Wong as a backup, but then you have to ask what you are giving up to get a backup.

Patrick Bailey

Advantages: This is getting into idle speculation territory. Are the Guardians satisfied with him as their guy? Who are the Astros getting as a new general manager? Their reluctance to interview somebody until the end of the World Series points to candidates that are still in the playoffs. Could they be looking for a Guardians assistant? if that is the case then maybe they have a positive view of Bailey and maybe they know what that system needs to get it done. He clearly is gifted defensively, so there could be upside there.

Disadvantages: Let's ignore the 2026 San Francisco numbers. Even doing that, he has never been better than the .683 OPS he produced in Cleveland this season. His career OPS+ is 77. Even if we ignore his Giants numbers this year we would still say the north end we could expect there is a 90 OPS+. That is a step down from Diaz. His walk rate is a decent eight percent and he is solid defensively, so maybe that is more of what you are after, but he likely isn't going to be as valuable overall as Diaz was.

Overall Thoughts

Out of the whole group, Alvarez would be the best bet, but also the most expensive in terms of player capital. Murphy would be the most expensive financially. I'm not a huge fan of any of those options. I suppose a new general manager could find someone better I haven't thought of, that is why they get paid the big bucks. However, given what we have seen through the free agents and trade market I'd say we are probably looking at more of the same.

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