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With Diaz trade, Astros get a cheaper version of Marwin Gonzalez

With Diaz trade, Astros get a cheaper version of Marwin Gonzalez
Aledmys Diaz was an important pickup for the Astros. Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

At first glance when you see the Astros trading a prospect for a shortstop, Astros fans start wondering what is wrong with Carlos Correa and what is going on with thier team? Is his back or thumb so bad that he may need surgery? Are they thinking of trading him so that Alex Bregman can take over? Thankfully neither of those things are behind this savy baseball move orchestrated by GM Jeff Luhnow. The fact of the matter is, Marwin Gonzalez is probably going to get a big offer from another team and the Astros are not going to match it. With that in mind, the team went out and found his replacement and when I say he is the spitting image of Marwin, I'm actually not kidding.

Aledmys Diaz is a 28-year-old shortstop by trade, but he can play third base, second base and he can play the outfield as well. Sound like anyone else you know and have grown to love? Aside from not yet trying his hand at first base, Diaz is a mirror image of Marwin. He is younger, has similar stats and is going to be far cheaper than Gonzalez, who is in the process of talking to teams and waiting for proposals in free agency. Diaz is 6'1" and 195 pounds, while Gonzales is thw same height and 10 pounds heavier. The similarities don't end there if you start comparing offensive stats over the past season as Diaz average was .263 while Marwin was at .247. The Blue Jays infielder had two more home runs, 13 fewer RBI's and a whole spread sheet full of offensive and defensive ratings and statistics that fluctuate giving each player slight advantages. Take a look at this side by side comparrison of the two players done by Devan Fink, Baseball writer for SB Nation's Beyond the Box Score:

The biggest key is that Diaz only made $2 million dollars last year and is under team control. Jeff Luhnow told a pool of reporters that Diaz "...Has got some versatility, got some power and can do a lot of things.  He went on to say, "It seems like it's an opportunity for us to improve our team. He can play short, he can play second, he can play a little bit of left, can play third. This is a guy about as versatile as any of the other guys on our roster. He's a good hitter, and we think he can be better. He's still coming into his prime." In other words, welcome to H-town, Marwin Jr.

It's a foregone conclusion that barring some incredible hometown discount, Marwin is going to break the bank and hit the jackpot in free agency and no Astros fan should begrudge him for cashing in. It's better to have had him and reaped the benfits of his outstanding play for your team than to never have had him at all. From his everyday availability and versatility to his propensity to come up big in the biggest moments, Marwin is and was a pro's pro for manager A.J. Hinch and the Astros. Who will ever forget his home run in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the World Series off Kenley Jansen that tied the game and change the complexion of the entire series? He was a key reason the team brought home Houston's first ever World Series title. For that alone he should be an Astros hero for life, regardless if he ever puts on a Houston uniform again and if he doesn't, at least there is hope that the team may have his replacement ready to go in 2019. 

 

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How all signs point to Astros having another gear to hit

Jeremy Pena and Isaac Paredes have been the Astros' best hitters. Composite Getty Image.

It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.

Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.

What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.

His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.

The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.

And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.

Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.

But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.

Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.

And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.

For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.

Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.

We have so much more to discuss. 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!

*ChatGPT assisted.

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