Falcon Points
Astros moves set them up for contention this year and beyond
Aug 1, 2019, 1:23 pm
Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images
Yordan Alvarez
The Astros made the biggest splash at the trade deadline, acquiring another legitimate ace starter in Zack Greinke. The move makes them the clear favorites to come out of the American League, but also set them up for the future. In addition, they made two other deals to bolster a roster that is now healthy and already loaded. A look at what the moves mean:
Loaded for the stretch in 2019
The Astros might have the best rotation in baseball. They certainly will for the playoffs, when the rotation shortens to three or four pitchers. This is how they will stack up:
Justin Verlander, 14-4, 2.73 ERA
Gerrit Cole 12-5, 2.94
Zack Greinke, 10-4, 2.90
Wade Miley, 9-4, 3.06
Verlander (1), Cole (4) and Miley (6) are all top six in ERA in the American League. Greinke would rank third if he put up the same numbers in the AL. All that means the Astros now have four of the top seven pitchers in the entire American League.
Oh, and with everyone healthy? The lineup is a monster. George Springer, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Michael Brantley, Carlos Correa, Yordan Alvarez, Yuli Gurriel...That's seven deep of All-Star caliber players.
Throw in a bullpen that when healthy is terrific in the eighth and ninth innings, and there simply is not a better day-in, day-out team in baseball.
The "other" guys
The Astros also re-acquired Martin Maldonado to beef up the catching. They now have two legitimate major league catchers on the roster. Aaron Sanchez and Joe Biagini add some pitching depth. Biagini adds some more help to the pen, while Sanchez is an intriguing project. At one time, he looked like one of the best young pitchers in baseball. But he has struggled mightily the past few seasons, including this year. But if the Astros can get him right, he could become a nice longterm piece in the rotation, or at least help in the pen. If not? The price was low. It is a low risk, high reward move.
Oh, the future...
The Greinke move also acts as insurance in case Cole leaves in free agency. Of the key players, only Cole and Miley are not under team control next season. So the Astros will be serious contenders in 2020, too. Even if they lose Cole, they will have a top three in the rotation of Verlander/Greinke/Lance McCullers. And odds are they bring at least one of Cole and Miley back. If not? Maybe they fix Sanchez. Maybe Forrest Whitley is finally ready. If they do bring them both back? Next year's rotation will be even better. That's a scary thought. And the everyday lineup will remain virtually the same. If the Astros need to clear some money, they can move Josh Reddick and his $13 million per year if Kyle Tucker is ready. And let's not dismiss the Verlander factor. His acquisition made it cool to be an Astro. Greinke chose to be in Houston and turned down the Yankees. Players want to be in Houston now.
And let's also give the Astros credit for the off-season signings of Brantley and Miley. They were low-risk, manageable contracts that have more than paid off. While Miley will command more money in the off-season, Brantley is back in 2020 at a reasonable number. This team is going to be good for a long time.
The dearly departed
The Astros did give up some assets. But the reality is, trades are supposed to benefit both teams. It also should benefit the players. The Tony Kemp for Maldonado deal helped the Astros and the Cubs. Maldonado was a luxury in Chicago; Kemp had already been designated for assignment. Both should benefit their new teams. As for the Toronto trade, Derek Fisher never quite worked out in Houston and was blocked by Myles Straw and Tucker. Maybe he develops, and at least he gets a chance. As for the Greinke trade? Seth Beer may become a good player. But will he better than Alvarez? J.B. Buskakas is highly regarded but has yet to develop. Corbin Martin just had Tommy John surgery. So who knows? The Astros got a legitimate ace. Even if those players become solid major leaguers, it was worth it.
The bottom line
For the first time, Houston has one of the best run organizations in all of sports. The Rockets try and keep taking chances and maybe it will work out. The Texans? Wasting the careers of DeAndre Hopkins, J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson by failing to help them. The Astros don't do everything right, but when they make a mistake they correct it. They make bold, thoughtful moves. Will they win another World Series? Maybe. Win or lose, however, they make the right decisions.
And Houston fan should be happy for it.
The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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