ASTROS HOT STOVE
Examining the ripple effect of an Astros-Verlander divorce
Nov 23, 2022, 3:16 pm
Justin Verlander is about to get paid! Composite image by Brandon Strange.
Justin Verlander had the best possible bounce back year both he and the Houston Astros could have asked for in 2022.
He not only won the American League’s Comeback Player of the Year, he was also the unanimous AL Cy Young Award winner and helped Houston win its second Commissioner’s Trophy in franchise history.
Under any other circumstances, it should be a no-brainer for the Astros to do everything possible to make sure that Verlander is donning the star with the H on his head in 2023, but for Houston and Verlander, now might be the perfect time for both sides to move on.
The 39-year-old ace, who will be 40 by the time Houston’s 2023 season gets under way, is a free agent and according to reports, he is seeking a “Max Scherzer” type of deal, which is around the ballpark of $40 million per year. Verlander played for the Astros on a $25 million deal in 2022.
For the Astros, like any other team, they have areas of weakness that could use a boost and allocating that amount of funding for Verlander is not the wisest long-term decision.
Houston still has Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Jose Urquidy, Luis Garcia and Hunter Brown on the roster as starting-caliber pitchers, but all are in or nearing arbitration, which means they are all going to need their slice of long-term funding pie sooner or later. Of course, Houston also has Lance McCullers Jr., whose long-term deal has already been secured.
Valdez specifically has shown that he has what it takes to be the long-term ace of the Astros, bouncing back from an inconsistent 2021 postseason run with a sensational 2022 run. Valdez was the winning pitcher in Houston’s World Series clinching Game Six. He has shown that a long-term investment could be wiser, and cheaper, to do now rather than a year or two down the road.
Despite Yuli Gurriel’s stellar run in the 2022 postseason, the first baseman struggled offensively for much of the regular season. It was rumored that Houston was heavily interested in Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who opted to stay in New York.
According to a new report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Astros are still eyeing an upgrade at first base, and have shown interest in the former White Sox slugger Jose Abreu. He posted a slashline of .304/.378/.446 in the 2022 season. In comparison, Gurriel posted .242/.288/.360 in 2022. Abreu had a base salary of $18 million in 2022.
One of the glaring weaknesses Houston was able to overcome during its World Series run came at another position, designated hitter.
In a perfect world, Yordan Alvarez would have been Houston’s DH most often than not, but when Michael Brantley went down with an injury, Alvarez was moved to left field, especially in the playoffs.
In the postseason, Houston struggled tremendously to get production from the DH position. Houston could bring back Brantley to address left field, and move Alvarez to DH, but the 35-year-old is coming off arthroscopic labral repair on his right shoulder.
One of the other positions the Astros could focus on is catcher. Defensively, Houston has had the position locked down with Martin Maldonaldo, who is on the books for 2023. However, offensive production at that position has always been a weak spot.
The Astros went out and acquired Christian Vázquez during the season. While he played in spots throughout Houston’s run, he is not on the roster for 2023 as he is an unrestricted free agent.
Willson Contreras, who posted .243/.349/.466 in 2022, is a name the Astros should consider strongly. He has played both left field and catcher, which is just what Houston needs. He had a base salary of $9.63 million for the Chicago Cubs in 2022.
Free agency is always a crazy time. For fans, it will be difficult to see Verlander go. He has been a key figure since 2017 when Houston won its first championship.
He has helped lead Houston to the mountain top, but if Verlander is aiming to get a big payday, which he absolutely has earned, it is in the best interest for the Astros to let him find greener pastures as Houston addresses more glaring needs that can help keep them atop Major League Baseball for 2023 and the years to follow.
Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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