Astros getting gift from Dodgers could save roster when postseason arrives

The Houston Astros' outfield has been in a bit of a rough spot this season, especially while Kyle Tucker was out. With Jake Meyers manning centerfield with his 87 wRC+, the Astros had been forced to create some very "interesting" patchwork outfields consisting of some combination of the corpse of Chas McCormick, Mauricio Dubon, Ben Gamel, and Yordan Álvarez.

However, things have stabilized quite a bit since then. Not only has Tucker returned to mixed results, but the Astros were able to get McCormick out of the lineup in exchange for the surprisingly productive Jason Heyward, who Houston scooped up in what is looking more and more like a late season coup.

Jason Heyward giving Astros the boost they needed in the outfield

One cannot really fault the Dodgers for giving up on Heyward when they did. In almost 200 plate appearances, the aging Heyward had put up a very pedestrian .682, and the Dodgers needed a roster spot to upgrade their inconsistent offense and welcome a few faces back. With Teoscar Hernández and Mookie Betts not going anywhere, Heyward was pretty clearly the odd man out.

However, the Dodgers' loss has been the Astros' gain, as Heyward has been a revelation since joining the team. We are just talking about a 14-game sample, but Heyward has slashed .269/.321/.538 while providing some key hits and leadership for Houston in the final month of the season. Is he the player he once was or the guy many thought he would be? Absolutely not, but he has been a steady contributor in the outfield, and that is all the Astros have needed.

How far the Astros go this season is going to be determined by the play of their stars. If Framber Valdez shoves and Jose Altuve, Álvarez and Tucker show out, Houston could make a real run at this thing. However, don't undersell what Heyward brings to the table; getting contributions from lower in the lineup, along with strong defensive play out of their new addition, could help the Astros win close games. At this time of year, that has a ton of value.

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