Nick Caserio is wheeling and dealing for Texans with 2 trades being reported Sunday

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Nick Caserio is wheeling and dealing for Texans with 2 trades being reported Sunday
Caserio isn't wasting any time. Composite image by Jack Brame.

ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that the Texans are trading LB Bernardrick McKinney to the Dolphins for linebacker/pass rusher Shaq Lawson. The Texans need to beef up their pass rush after JJ Watt's departure, and McKinney was expected to be a cap casualty if he hadn't been traded. Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Texans gave McKinney and his agent permission to seek a trade. Once the Texans signed linebacker Christian Kirksey on Friday, many people expected that McKinney's days as a Texan were numbered.

Another trade was announced on Sunday which will send New England tackle Marcus Cannon to Houston in exchange for draft pick swaps between New England and Houston in the 4th, 5th, and 6th rounds, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.


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A lot will be asked of Cristian Javier and Hunter Brown this year. Composite Getty Image.

When the Astros broke camp over the weekend, the club was coming off strong performances from Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier. Both pitchers have looked good this spring, and that should be a big relief as a lot is riding on these two young arms, especially early in the season.

The Astros will be without Justin Verlander and Jose Urquidy to start the year, so they won't have much margin for error in their rotation. Brown has the stuff to develop into a frontline starting pitcher, and many pundits are expecting him to have a breakout season in 2024.

Javier has already proven he can be a top of the rotation starter, but he's looking to bounce back from a down year in 2023 that saw his ERA jump by over two full runs from his 2022 season.

As it stands right now, the Mariners have the best rotation in the division, but that could quickly change if Javier, Brown, and Framber Valdez live up to expectations. And of course, Justin Verlander returning healthy in a few weeks would give them a huge boost.

Sweet relief

Another area the Astros will look to improve on this season is the bullpen. MLB.com recently published an article ranking baseball's best 'pens. They have the Astros slotted fourth, behind the Phillies (No.1), Braves (No. 2), and Pirates (No. 3).

One of the critical factors in this bullpen's success could come down to how Rafael Montero responds after a down season in which he posted an ERA of five.

And he'll be tested early with Bryan Abreu suspended for the first two games, and a starting rotation that likely won't go more than five or six innings per start in the first week of the season.

Building confidence from his early appearances could make a huge difference for Montero, who struggled with high-leverage situations last year. If he comes in and shuts the Yankees down in this opening series, that would be a great sign that he's poised to have a bounce-back season. Building on early success will be key for Montero.

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

Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) every Monday on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel. We'll continue to drop more videos throughout the week.

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