What could really be motivating Houston Astros blockbuster trade report

Where there's smoke...

What could really be motivating Houston Astros blockbuster trade report
Are the Astros eyeing a massive trade? Composite Getty Image.

It's no secret, the Houston Astros are on a hot streak and have evened their record at 40-40 after winning seven straight games. But there's always room for improvement, and Astros GM Dana Brown has said repeatedly that the club will be buyers at the trade deadline.

Just this week, Astros insider Michael Schwab posted that Houston has interest in trading for Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., according to sources.

And Schwab has been right about these things before. He was the first to report that the Rangers were trading for Max Scherzer last season.

But this report made us wonder, should upgrading first base be the team's top priority? The club is down to four starting pitchers, and Mauricio Dubon has done a decent job at first since the departure of Jose Abreu.

Plus, dealing with the Blue Jays could get tricky, with former Astros GM James Click in Toronto's front office. We highly doubt he's looking to help the Astos after Jim Crane allegedly pushed him out the door after the 2022 World Series winning season.

And let's not forget, teams like the Yankees have deeper farm systems that could provide the Blue Jays with a bigger haul than Houston. The Astros at a minimum would likely have to trade away a quality prospect or two and player on the roster like Jake Meyers or Chas McCormick.

Oh, and we haven't even discussed the money. Guerrero Jr. is making about $20 million this year, and is under contract next season as well. A move like this would push the Astros over the second luxury tax threshold in all likelihood.

Pitching wins championships

The Astros currently have seven pitchers on the IL, and Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers aren't expected back for another month at the earliest. Justin Verlander is also dealing with a neck injury, with no timetable set for his return.

Not to mention, Spencer Arrighetti and Ronel Blanco have never thrown more than 125 innings in any professional season, according to The Athletic's Chandler Rome.

Which is why we wouldn't be surprised if the interest in Guerrero is a smoke screen, and the Astros are really focused on adding pitching. However, it is fun to imagine him in the middle of the Astros lineup.

Finally, it may be time to have a discussion about how quickly the Astros are bringing pitchers back from injury. Dana Brown has admitted they may have rushed JP France back a little too soon. He, too, is done for the season and expected to have shoulder surgery next week.

This leads us to question if the season-ending injuries to Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy could have been prevented.

Be sure to watch the video above as we break it all down!

*Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. And be on the lookout for bonus episodes on Thursdays!


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Who's really calling the shots?Composite Getty Image.

As players continue to arrive at Astros spring training, the updates we are receiving are very positive for the most part. Astros pitcher Lance McCullers is very optimistic about his chances to return and produce a successful and healthy season.

At this point, we'll just have to wait and see with McCullers, but it is encouraging to hear how happy he is with where he is physically. Lance pointed out that his velocity is sitting right around 90mph, which is where it was typically in spring training in previous years.

When McCullers spoke about how he would be used this season, something really stood out. He stated that he expected to continue to be used as a starter, despite GM Dana Brown talking about the possibility of Lance coming out of the bullpen.

McCullers even said he wasn't sure where that narrative is coming from, he anticipates starting because he feels like pitching in relief would be harder on his body.

The puzzling communication trend continued when Jose Altuve told reporters on Monday that the team asked him to give left field a try after the conclusion of last season.

Which doesn't line up with the reports that Altuve volunteered to move to left field in an effort to convince Alex Bregman to return to Houston after the team traded for infielder Isaac Paredes.

Speaking of Bregman, we heard reports last season that Alex wasn't happy with how he was communicated with when the team dropped him in the batting order due to his offensive struggles.

However, there is one common factor between these players. Bregman, McCullers, and Altuve are all represented by Scott Boras. It wouldn't surprise us if the reports about Altuve being willing to switch positions was actually something that was floated by Boras to increase leverage in the Bregman negotiations.

Making it seem like Houston was still interested in re-signing Bregman after seemingly filling his position with Paredes could make some sense.

Another element to consider in this communication narrative is Yordan Alvarez making his feelings known on where he hits in the batting order. Yordan didn't request to hit second or third, but he did make it clear he would like the club to pick a spot for him and leave him there.

Based on Altuve's inclination to swing at the first pitch, it wouldn't surprise us if Yordan would prefer to hit third, so he won't find himself regularly in the batter's box for the second pitch of the game.

The club has publicly stated they would like the hitters to see more pitches this season, hopefully that starts with Altuve. Opposing pitchers know Altuve's tendencies, so ambushing fastballs on the first pitch of the game is not as effective as it once was.

One final thought on the mixed signals between the players and front office. We have to take anything Dana Brown says with a grain of salt. He says a lot of things that turn out to be false, and not necessarily on purpose. This is the same guy that said Kyle Tucker would sign an extension with Houston, and Bregman was the top priority in free agency.

I think he's quickly learning that Jim Crane isn't the one that's going to have to “fasten his seatbelt.”

Be sure to watch the video above for the full discussion!

Spring training is up and running. Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.


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