HOT STOVE

How AL West free agency splashes just became tidal waves for Correa, Astros

Astros Carlos Correa
Correa knows it's time for his payday. Composite image by Jack Brame.
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The Rangers made a big splash over the weekend when they agreed to terms on a 7-year $175 million contract with infielder Marcus Semien. Apparently, that was just the tip of the iceberg. According to multiple reports, the Rangers have also added arguably the most coveted player in free agency, Corey Seager. Seager and the Rangers have agreed to a massive 10-year $325 million contract.

Before the Seager news broke, many were starting to wonder if teams would be willing to hand out 10-year deals for over 300 million dollars with the lockout just around the corner. Now we have our answer, and Carlos Correa has to be a very happy man to see how the market is shifting. The Rangers not only added two incredible players, but they also made it pretty much a certainty that Correa will either leave Houston, or the Astros will have to sign him to a long-term $300 million deal, which is not likely based on their stance on multi-year big money contracts.

The Rangers aren't the only team in the AL West making blockbuster moves. The Mariners agreed to terms with 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray on Monday. Ray and Seattle agreed to a 5-year, $115 million contract.

The Angels joined in on the action a couple of weeks ago when they signed Noah Syndergard to a 1-year 21 million dollar deal.

Clearly, the AL West is on notice that they're going to have to make big changes if they want to compete with the Houston Astros who have dominated the AL recently with 5 straight ALCS appearances and 3 trips to the World Series. With Correa likely out the door in Houston, these teams might believe this is a perfect time to make a run at the division and finally knock off the Astros. Only time will tell if these deals will work, and the Astros look to have a terrific team this season whether Correa returns or not.

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Don't be surprised when the Rockets make a bold move. Photo via: Wiki Commons.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into the heart of the Houston Rockets’ offseason — the trade rumors, the dream scenarios, and the hard questions every fan is asking right now. Whether it's chasing stars or shuffling the role players, nothing is off the table.

We start by taking a serious look at Donovan Mitchell — is he the kind of talent worth giving up a major package for, or would he disrupt the current build? From there, we shift to the impact of injuries on trade value and ask: who should the Rockets move, and what’s the realistic return?

We’re also talking big picture: what are the Rockets actually missing to make the leap? Is it scoring? Defense? Veteran leadership?

Then there’s the Ace Bailey debate — is he the future or fool’s gold? We break down the hype vs. reality.

And of course, we had to touch on the Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors. If he’s committed to staying in the East, does that shut down any Houston hope — or was that pipe dream already dead?

Finally, we explore a wild card: Jrue Holiday to Houston. Could his leadership and defense be the missing piece? Or is it just a mismatch?

Plenty of hot takes, real questions, and trade-machine madness. Let’s talk Rockets.

Don't miss the video below as ESPN Houston's Jeremy Branham and Joel Blank break it all down.

*ChatGPT assisted.

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