Here's the definitive case for Astros doubling down on this specific need
TOP PRIORITY
14 November 2023
We learned a fair amount from the GM meetings with Dana Brown speaking to the media about the club's outlook for 2024.
Brown made it seem like the team isn't looking to spend much money in free agency, with a backup catcher and possibly some pitching being on the top of their priority list.
Super agent Scott Boras also had some interesting comments about how the pitch clock led to a rash of injuries to pitchers in 2023. And as we look at the Astros rotation moving forward, there's a lot of uncertainty to factor in. Justin Verlander is another year older, and missed time due to injury early in the 2023 season. We're also back to not knowing which Framber Valdez will show up from start to start. Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier regressed significantly, and who knows what can be expected from Jose Urquidy after more injuries and an ERA over 5.
Martin Maldonado could fill the need for a backup catcher, according to The Athletic's Chandler Rome. So that leaves pitching as the team's top priority in our opinion.
The bullpen could use some attention, with Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek, and Hector Neris heading to free agency, but the starting rotation is where we're focused. For the reasons mentioned above, and because Dana Brown said we shouldn't expect Lance McCullers and Luis Garcia to return from injury until July.
And let's be honest, it's hard to count on Lance McCullers moving forward with his injury history. Plus, Luis Garcia's pitch count will be limited coming off Tommy John surgery. If injuries continue to pile up due to the pitch clock and other factors, the Astros may very well need another middle of the rotation pitcher to eat up innings this season.
Many fans would like to see an upgrade in the outfield, but it doesn't appear to be a priority for the 'Stros with their salary restrictions. They still have Kyle Tucker, Mauricio Dubon, Chas McCormick, Jake Meyers, and Yordan Alvarez as options in the outfield.
So it's no surprise that Brown views pitching and backup catcher as the team's main focus.
Don't miss the video above as we discuss how the Astros can best deploy their limited payroll for the 2024 season, and much more.
It’s the first place Houston Astros against the first place Los Angeles Dodgers as they open their latest head-to-head series. This is not a recording. The two most dominant powers in the sport over the last decade gather at Dodger Stadium this Independence Day weekend. The Astros have a sizable lead in pursuit of their eighth American League West championship in the last nine years. The Dodgers have an even more sizable lead as they chase their fourth straight National League West crown, which would be their 12th in 13 years. Each franchise has won two World Series in that time frame, each has lost two. All Astro and Dodger parties would sign off immediately on a 2025 World Series matchup. This three-game set carries no big picture significance, but every game counts, and it’s just fun seeing these two get after it. It would be more fun if the Astros had Yordan Alvarez available. Then again, the Dodgers won’t have Josh Fields.
Both continue to roll along despite rashes of injuries. When the Astros awoke May 24 their record sat at 26-25. Since then they have gone 26-10. That is a dominant stretch despite this clearly not being a dominant team. The still Alvarez-less offense is mediocre. So is the starting pitching apart from the one-two awesome punch that Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez have been. When Brown or Valdez has been the Astros’ starting pitcher this season, the team record is 25-9. With anyone else making the start, 27-26. They have been every bit as dynamic a duo so far in 2025 that Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole were for the Astros in 2019 when Verlander edged out Cole to win his third Cy Young Award. Brown is a lock to be named to his first American League All-Star team this Sunday. Valdez is worthy of a third consecutive selection but could get caught in a numbers squeeze. Eight or nine starting pitchers are picked for each league.
The Dodgers won’t face Brown this weekend, but will have to deal with Valdez on Saturday night. His mound counterpart will be Shohei Ohtani. Oooooooh! Framber didn’t give up a run in his last 13 innings over his last two starts, and over his last 10 outings has a super-spiffy 1.72 earned run average. The amazing Ohtani is easing back into pitching after his second Tommy John surgery. Ohtani has started three games, totaling just four innings. He has yet to throw 30 pitches in an outing. Saturday he probably will be allowed 30 to 40.
Arms race
While Friday’s outing isn’t remotely a make or break start for Lance McCullers, it does speak to a significant question the Astros hope to find a pleasing answer to over the remainder of the regular season. Who is their third starting pitcher in a playoff series? After Brown and Valdez there is simply no one who inspires confidence at this point. McCullers has been awful his last two times out, jacking up his ERA to 6.61 eight starts into his season. 20 walks issued in 32 2 /3 innings pitched is glaringly bad. McCullers is still reasonably in ramp up mode, but given his injury history along with performance concerns, the third starter spot can’t be considered his to lose. Spencer Arrighetti’s resume is thin but his return at the level he pitched at after the All-Star break last season would be massive. Colt Gordon and Brandon Walter have both done some nice fill-in work, but no one plausibly wants them starting what would be a do or die game if the Astros wind up in a game three of a best-of-three Wild Card series.
Historic achievement
Not as if it’s subplot or anything this weekend, but let’s call it notable that the two active career hits leaders in Major League Baseball share the field this weekend. Jose Altuve this week vaulted past Jeff Bagwell for second in Astros’ history behind Craig Biggio. Altuve enters the weekend 743 hits behind Biggio. He is no lock to catch him before Altuve’s five-year contract expires at the end of the 2029 season. Altuve will be 39 then. Biggio was 41 when he rapped his 3000th hit, then added 60 more before beginning the waiting game for election to the Hall of Fame.
Like Biggio got and presumably someday Altuve will get, Dodger first baseman Freddie Freeman will get the call from Cooperstown some day. Like Altuve, Freeman is 35 years old, has won a Most Valuable Player Award, one Gold Glove, and with his selection this week been named an All-Star nine times. Aaron Judge may change this in the next couple of years, but among active players only Mike Trout (by a long shot) has compiled more Baseball-Reference offensive Wins Above Replacement than Freeman (second) and Altuve (third).
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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