LET'S MAKE A DEAL
How latest MLB mega-deal could swing pendulum in Astros negotiations
Feb 6, 2024, 12:32 pm
LET'S MAKE A DEAL
The Kansas City Royals signed their 23-year-old shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., with only two big league seasons under his belt, to a massive 11-year, $288.7 million guaranteed contract.
That bit of sports financial news lit a rocket under Houston social media and blew a fuse on talk radio.
If the Royals can sign Bobby Witt Jr. long-term, why can’t the Astros get a similar deal done with their All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker?
Didn’t general manager Dana Brown announce publicly last season that the Astros would do whatever it takes to keep Tucker in Houston for his entire career? Well …?
The bottom line, and it’s always the bottom line that drives the Astros these days, Bobby Witt Jr. and Kyle Tucker are two entirely different situations.
Witt Jr. is 23 years old and coming off a season where he batted .276 with 30 home runs, 96 RBI and 49 stolen bases, all standout numbers especially for a shortstop.
But that $288.7 million contract has more holes than a 100-pound wheel of Swiss cheese. Witt Jr. can opt out as soon as 2030. The Royals can exercise options that would extend the contract and bring the total to $377.7 million. Most important, Witt Jr. could be in line for another pot of gold contract when this one runs out.
Kyle Tucker is 27 years old with four full seasons of MLB experience, all with the Astros. Last year Tucker batted .284, smacked 29 homers, drove in 112 runs (led the American League) and stole 30 bases. He is a legit All-Star, one of the best players in baseball. But he’s faltered in the postseason, batting only .237 with eight homers over 14 different series. And the Astros are all about the postseason.
While Witt Jr. may be the better long-term risk for the Royals based on his age and statistics, Tucker actually is the one with hand over the Astros.
The Royals lost 106 games last year, tying their franchise record for futility, their seventh consecutive losing season. The Royals aren’t necessarily cheapskates, it’s just that Kansas City is a small baseball market with limited revenue sources (although their next-door neighbor Kansas City Chiefs seem to be prospering in the NFL, the biggest sports league in the world).
If Witt Jr. continues to put up amazing numbers, just maybe, he could make the Royals a .500 team.
Tucker means more to the Astros than Witt Jr. means to the Royals.
If Tucker has a big season and corrects his postseason blues, he could propel the Astros to another downtown World Series parade.
The biggest difference in the two players: Witt Jr. wanted to stay in Kansas City. We don’t know how Tucker feels about a future in Houston. He will make $12 million this season. Meanwhile players with half his credentials are making twice as much on other teams.
I’m certain of this: if owner Jim Crane presented the same contract to Tucker that the Royals gave to Witt Jr., Tucker would say no. Tucker remembers when the Astros beat him in arbitration over $2.5 million (relative peanuts these days) a couple of seasons ago. Tucker made no bones about his feelings of being underpaid.
I’m told that Tucker and his agent were none too pleased when Dana Brown all but promised fans that Tucker would be an Astro for life. First, it was giddy chatter, especially since the Astros are famous for avoiding long-term contracts. More important, it planted the idea in fans’ heads that the Astros want Tucker and, if things don’t work out, Tucker is the villain.
It’s reported that Tucker and his agent are resigned to playing the next two years in Houston and entering free agency where big bucks, possibly $350 million-plus, could await him. And who knows where the MLB market will be in two years?
The Houston Astros (37-30) aim to close out their series against the Chicago White Sox (23-45) on a high note Thursday night at Daikin Park. The three-game set is currently tied 1-1, and with a chance to secure their 11th series win at home, the Astros will send left-hander Framber Valdez to the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET.
Valdez (6-4, 3.07 ERA) has quietly been one of the most consistent arms in the American League. Known for his heavy sinker and ground-ball inducing style, he enters the night with a stellar 1.06 WHIP and 84 strikeouts. With the Astros bullpen having absorbed some heavy usage earlier this week, Valdez will be counted on to give Houston quality length.
Opposing him will be right-hander Davis Martin (2-6, 3.62 ERA), who has pitched better than his win-loss record suggests. Martin has maintained a 1.21 WHIP and will try to quiet an Astros lineup that broke out for 10 runs in Wednesday’s win.
Houston’s offense has been led lately by Jeremy Peña, who is batting .439 over his last 10 games with five doubles, two homers, and six RBIs. Isaac Paredes continues to be a steady power threat, leading the team with 14 home runs and a .468 slugging percentage. José Altuve, fresh off his 2,300th career hit, adds veteran stability to the top of the order.
The Astros are 23-13 at home this season and have gone 6-4 over their last 10 games. When they avoid giving up home runs, they win — as shown by their 20-4 record in games where they keep the ball in the yard. That will be a key Thursday against a White Sox team that’s light on power but capable of grinding out runs when they out-hit opponents (16-9 when doing so).
Chicago, meanwhile, has struggled mightily on the road, going just 7-27 away from Guaranteed Rate Field. Still, they’ve had unexpected success against the Astros this season, winning three of the first five matchups. Andrew Benintendi and Mike Tauchman have been among the few bright spots in a lineup that’s hit just .227 over its last 10 games and been outscored by six runs.
With the series on the line and the division-leading Astros looking to stay hot, Thursday night offers a chance to assert their edge with a trusted ace on the hill and momentum building in the lineup.
Here's a preview of the Astros lineup for the finale!
For the series.
⚾️: 7:10 PM
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#BuiltForThis x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/WsXWQV4ZkI
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 12, 2025
Christian Walker remains in the five spot after his big night in Game 2. Victor Caratini will be the DH hitting seventh behind Jake Meyers. Jose Altuve is shifting back to left field, with Jacob Melton getting the night off. And Brendan Rodgers will hit last and play second base.
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