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3 pitchers the Houston Astros should focus their trade deadline efforts on
With 2 star pitchers down, the Astros should add one for their playoff run
The Houston Astros will be at full strength in their lineup soon and hitting fears will dissipate as Yordan returns to the lineup. The emergence of Yainer Diaz and the solid play of Chas McCormick really have shown the Astros fans they don’t need another big bat, as was reported before, but rather another shut down starting pitcher.
Jose Altuve is back to his old self and his hard hit percentage and exit velocity are improved from last year. He will get his, and his numbers will show up as they always do in the playoffs. Altuve’s health is the biggest concern but the Astros have gotten along well without him, so if he needs to take a day or two a week off until the playoffs, it won’t hurt the lineup too much. He is expected to return to the team soon and I think if he takes it easy to finish out the season and get ready for the playoffs, the Astros will still be in a good spot.
Jose Urquidy and Yordan Alvarez are on their way back as well but the Astros still need an arm to add to the rotation with the loss of Garcia for the season and Verlander to free agency. Where would they target, here are 3 options they need to consider.
Blake Snell - Padres
The Padres are 10 games out of first place in their division and 6 games out from the wild card and could sell some rental pieces. The Astros would be a perfect trade deadline match for the Padres starter Blake Snell to land. The southpaw has given up three total runs in his last five starts and has a 6-8 record with a 2.67 ERA.
Snell’s record would easily be better on the Astros and the former Rays Cy Young would make a big splash. If the Astros GM Dana Brown really wants to make a splash on the roster, this would be a big one. Snell’s numbers are stellar this season, as his batting average against sits at .203 and his exit velocity and hard hit percentage against have both dipped this year.
Most importantly for the Astros roster Snell has the playoff experience that is an important part of any strategy the Astros take at the deadline. Snell has had three different appearances in the postseason and pitched in the World Series in 2020. The question remains however, will the Padres sell only being 6 games out of the Wild Card race as it currently stands? If all three wild card teams in the National League (as it stands today) make trades to improve their team prior to the last day of the deadline, it could be that the Padres sell.
Marcus Stroman - Cubs
Marcus Stroman as it sits right now is the best option out there for a starter that the Astros could bring in. The Astros are reportedly very interested and have inquired about him as well, which leaves me to believe he would be their top target and for good reason.
Stroman has had an amazing season so far, going 10-7 for a struggling Chicago Cubs team while posting a 3.09 ERA and 1.144 WHIP. Stroman fits in at the top of the rotation behind Framber Valdez and would let young starters J.P. France and Hunter Brown develop in less of a high leverage spot in the rotation.
Stroman has a career 3.57 ERA and has two different playoff appearances on his resume. Stroman hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2016, so he would likely have a different result than his 2015 and 2016 playoff experiences at the start of his career. I really like this option as it seems he would have something to prove in the playoffs as well, and that chip on his shoulder could propel the Astros to another World Series Championship. The only downside is his hatred for the Astros cheating scandal, but hopefully as a professional that won’t get in the way and he can see the totally different team from the 2017 squad as just that, a different team.
Eduardo Rodriguez - Tigers
The Astros could partner with the Detroit Tigers again at the trade deadline and for another starting pitcher. Eduardo Rodriguez would be a great fit for the Houston Astros rotation at the deadline as he is under contract through 2026, but with the caveat of having an opt out of the final 3 years.
I could easily see Rodriguez not opting out if he is on a contender like the Houston Astros, and Dana Brown has commented he wants to trade for players with longer team control. This could be their guy. Since both Jose Altuve and Luis Garcia were on the same team as Rodriguez on the world baseball classic, that could lure him even more to the Astros squad and make him willing to stay.
Rodriguez is having a career year with a 2.69 ERA over 14 starts with a 0.986 WHIP. These numbers far exceed his career averages of 4.03 ERA and 1.287 WHIP but, that could be just what the Astros need. His numbers for both walks per nine and home runs per nine innings are down and his trike outs per nine innings is up above last year and his career average. Most impressive for Rodriguez is his batting average against which lines up with the best pitchers available at .207 and his hard hit percentage and exit velocity are also down from the prior year.
As is often the case, championship teams need players who are hot at the right time and play well for the playoffs, and he has only 4 career starts but he has not pitched as well those seasons as he is right now in 2023. This could very well be the next big pitching move for the Astros, and I love the potential.