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Here are some strategic moves to navigate Astros rotation adjustments
Dec 21, 2023, 5:34 pm
Should the Astros implement a 6-man rotation? Composite Getty Image.
Two World Series wins with four appearances, six division wins, and two Wild Card appearances since 2015 is a pretty damn good run. Players are getting older. Some are coming up for their third contracts. Others are coming up for their second. In both cases, the Astros are a team trying to keep their window open. If they're going to extend this into a decade plus run of being in high level competition over the next few seasons, they need to solidify some things.
One of those is nailing down a starting rotation. It's my belief they should go with a six-man rotation. The starters are either older, have an injury history, recently hurt, or not experienced enough. Having more guys in the rotation will help alleviate tired arms later in the season. Plus, I feel as though it sets you up for injury if/when they occur. It also gives an extra guy a chance to start regularly instead of sporadic starts and some long relief.
Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Hunter Brown, J.P. France, and Jose Urquidy should be the six-man rotation to start. Guys like Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr can pop in at any time they're healthy and take a spot start away from Brown or France or somebody needing a rest. I say Brown or France because they're the lower guys on the totem pole. Javier is another who can go to the bullpen/long relief role. He's been in that role previously.
Urquidy is a wildcard here. He has top three on a staff stuff, but inconsistent play and injury derailed him last season. McCullers and Garcia are also wildcards. They're both coming off injury. McCullers was expected back last season. Setbacks and another surgery pushed back his timeline to hopefully July of this coming season. Garcia went down and had Tommy John surgery. He should be ready sometime in July as well, according to GM Dana Brown. Hopefully he doesn't have any setbacks. All three of these guys were seen as locks previously to make the rotation.
Verlander is expected to be the ace. Between his experience, accolades, and paycheck, he's supposed to be the guy. He said he wants to pitch until he's 45. If that's the case, knowing Verlander, he's not going to want to embarrass himself. He'll get himself in great shape and be ready for the season. The thing is, will he stay healthy and be able to maintain his level of play he's used to?
With Framber, it's a matter of consistency. Framber will go out and throw scoreless innings in four consecutive starts, then get shelled for five runs in two innings while throwing 70 plus pitches. He's even had games in which he'll pitch lights out, but have an inning or two where he gives up too many hits and some runs. The control will be off, and he will look like he's got the yips. Then there are days when he looks like a Cy Young candidate. He can be bad for my liver.
Again, this is a way-too-early look at their rotation. I'm no expert. For that, I'd point people to Charlie Pallilo or Patrick Creighton. They're way more well-versed in baseball than I. At some point, we might revisit more way too early Astros content. Until then, bookmark this and let's check it when the season starts to see how right or wrong I am.
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Cam Smith brought three dozen Shipley's glazed donuts to his Houston Astros teammates Thursday morning before his major league debut.
Then he really delivered, with an opposite-field single on the first pitch he saw in the major leagues to help Houston to a 3-1 win over the New York Mets.
“They all liked it, so that’s a good thing," Smith said of the donuts, a sentiment that could also apply to his second-inning hit that set up the first run of the game.
The 22-year-old prospect reached the majors after playing just 32 minor league games. Batting seventh and starting in right field, he became the second-youngest Astros position player to make his MLB debut as a starter on opening day and the youngest since Rusty Staub was 19 in 1963.
With one out in the second, Smith grounded a single to right field on a sinker from Clay Holmes to get his first big league hit in his initial plate appearance. Jeremy Peña dashed from first to third on the play and later scored on a groundout.
“I was just looking for a pitch and I wanted to ambush it and I got lucky with that base hit,” Smith said.
The poise he showed in his debut impressed his coaches and teammates.
“He's amazing," Jose Altuve said. “He went the other way on a tough pitch and he set the tone to score the first run. I know he's going to help this team a lot. He's going to be out there getting better and better. He's just so talented.”
Most believed that Smith, the 14th overall pick in last year’s amateur draft, would need more time in the minors when he was acquired in December from the Chicago Cubs along with Isaac Paredes and Hayden Wesneski as part of the Kyle Tucker trade.
Instead, Smith hit .342 with a triple, four homers, 11 RBIs and a 1.130 OPS this spring to earn a spot on the major league roster.
The Astros announced he’d make the big league roster earlier this week, with manager Joe Espada inviting Smith's mother into the clubhouse to deliver the news. Video of the moment shared by the Astros captured the touching exchange.
After the trade, Smith moved from third base, where Paredes is starting, to right field, where he replaced Tucker.
Still wearing his dirt-stained uniform long after the last pitch Thursday, the kid who was playing college ball at Florida State at this time last year said he hadn’t had time to reflect on his whirlwind journey to the big leagues.
“I have not,” Smith said. “I was just out there with my family on the field appreciating this day and ... good thing we got done early so I can go home and get my feet under myself and think about it.”