Houston Astros trade for left-handed power bat with speed

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Houston Astros trade for left-handed power bat with speed
The Astros trade for Angels prospect Trey Cabbage. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images.

Coming off a huge free agent signing of Josh Hader last week, we were wondering if the Astros were done making moves this offseason.

Astros GM Dana Brown recently said the team would have interest in adding another left-handed outfielder if the right situation presented itself.

“If we could somehow get a left-handed bat, preferably an outfielder with some speed, that type of package we’ll pounce on it.”

Apparently, opportunity knocked and the Astros answered. But not on the free agent market this time. The Astros traded for Angels IN/OF prospect Trey Cabbage on Wednesday in exchange for minor league pitching prospect Carlos Espinosa.

Cabbage is an older prospect that will turn 27 in May. He made his major league debut with the Angels in 2023. Cabbage hit .208 over 53 at-bats last season.

And while that doesn't sound all that promising, it's his Triple A numbers from last year that likely caught the Astros attention. Cabbage had a 30-30 season over 107 games in Triple A. He finished with 30 homers, 32 stolen bases, and an OPS of .975.

His position flexibility is another plus, not only can he play the outfield, he also played 58 games at first base last season.

As you can see from the highlights below and his minor league stats, the power in undeniable.

So what did the Astros give up in the deal?

The 22-year-old Carlos Espinosa pitched in Low A ball last season, going 4-5 with a 4.29 ERA. He appeared in 15 games and was signed as an international free agent from Cuba in 2022.

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The Colts host this Texans this Sunday. Composite Getty Image.

C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson found themselves in the same spot when they met in Week 2 last season.

Both quarterbacks were top-five draft picks, lost their season openers and seemed to be facing a steep learning curve.

Richardson won Round 1 in Houston, although he didn't finish the game.

Stroud took Round 2 in Indianapolis with the injured Richardson watching from the sideline as Texans clinched the AFC South title and Stroud locked up his runaway selection as NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

On Sunday, each QB begins his second pro season — with a lot still to prove.

“I’m excited. First official game back with my guys and my teammates,” said Richardson, who had season-ending shoulder surgery last October. "I want to win. So, whatever I’ve got to do to do that, I’m going to do it.”

Winning a season opener certainly would be a welcome change for a franchise that last started 1-0 in 2013. The 10-game winless streak is easily the NFL's longest active streak.

But that's just a start for Richardson.

He needs to improve his accuracy after completing a pedestrian 59.5% of his throws in 2023 and must demonstrate he can finish games. He missed 13 last season and only finished one of his four starts because of an assortment of injuries, including the concussion that knocked him out of that Week 2 matchup at Houston after he ran for two scores.

Stroud, meanwhile, is coming off one of the most successful rookie seasons in NFL history.

He became just the third player in a half-century to lead the league in yards passing per game (273.9) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.6 to 1), won a playoff game and made hist first Pro Bowl appearance.

How can he improve on a season like that? By showing last season was a building block — not a fluke. He has a stronger supporting cast, too, with Joe Mixon, a four-time 1,000-yard rusher, and Stefon Diggs, who has four straight 100-catch seasons, now in the mix.

The long journey begins Sunday in Indianapolis.

“I want to just start fast,” Stroud said. “It doesn't have to do with a certain game, just in general this season. Last year, we started off really slow and just kind of had to build our way back. It's not an easy thing to do, so I would say this year we want to start fast.”

Nico vs. Colts

Houston receiver Nico Collins had two of his biggest games last season against Indy — catching seven passes for 146 yards and one TD in the Week 2 matchup only to outperform those numbers with a 195-yard day that included a 75-yard TD catch in Week 18.

He could play an even bigger role this time with Indy's young secondary trying to match up not only with Collins but also Diggs, Mixon and tight end Dalton Schultz.

“Nico is a playmaker,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Every time I see him, he’s a true playmaker. So, you just have to get Nico the ball in any way, shape or fashion. Just find a way to get him the ball just to see how explosive and how dynamic he is.”

Taylor made

Injuries and a contract dispute prevented Jonathan Taylor from replicating the form he used to win the 2021 NFL rushing title. Starting against the Texans could be just what he needs.

In six games against Houston, Taylor has rushed for seven TDs and 135.2 yards per game — his highest average against any team he's faced multiple times. And in that rematch with Houston in Week 18, he finished with 30 carries for 188 yards, the NFL's highest single-game total all season.

Confident Anderson

Houston defensive end Will Anderson, last season’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, will play Sunday after recovering from an ankle injury that limited his training camp snaps.

The No. 3 overall pick in 2023 had 45 tackles, 10 for loss, and 7 1/2 sacks as a rookie. He expects to be even better this season.

“I’m way more comfortable,” he said. “Just going into Year 2 knowing the scheme better, knowing what to expect a little bit more and knowing what’s going to happen gives you more confidence.”

Pass rush

The Colts lost their 2023 sacks leader, Samson Ebukam, with a torn Achilles tendon during training. But they may have the perfect replacement.

Laiatu Latu was the first defensive player taken in April's draft, at No. 15 overall, and he's shown coaches that the moves he used to record 23 1/2 sacks over his last two college seasons can work in the NFL.

“We know that there’s going to be a learning curve there," defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. "We know there are going to be plays that we’re going to come in and say there were some good plays, and there were plays he wishes he had back — we understand that. But just his overall mentality and skill set, we’re very excited to see.”

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