Has it been mentioned that the Walker signing means the Stros lose their 2nd and 5th highest picks in the next draft?
eta: They’ll get a comp pick after the 4th for Bregman
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Correct
They may, and probably do, feel different but in my mind they have 3 open OF spots for 2025
Edit: unless Chas gets back to 2022 level or close to it, they have two 4th OF types and Dubon
While it may not be as big of an impact bat as signing Hernandez or Santander, the outfield help could potentially come in a trade of Ryan Pressly.
They also lose a million from their international free agent pool for 2025.
As far as the competitive balance tax, the only difference between exceeding the $241M threshold by a dollar and exceeding it by $40M is money–there’s no effect on the draft until $281M, so I say in for a penny, in for a pound. Go fix the outfield, and if you see a chance to add to the pitching, go for that too.
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The Astros will probably save 10M when you compare Paredes’ likely arbitration salary to Tucker’s and Bregman made 20M against the luxury tax last season. They also lose Verlander’s 15M against the tax and Graveman’s 8M. Factoring in arbitration raises for Framber, Peña (1st year), Bryan Abreu and Dubón, they should have some wiggle room left.
I hope the next move is trading Pressly for help in the outfield. Someone like Cedric Mullins in Baltimore or Starling Marte (contract expires after 2025) with the Mets makes sense. Both teams want relief pitching.
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As for the Walker signing, I’m happy with it, especially at only three years and $60M. The Astros had to sign another big free agent bat (Bregman or otherwise) following the Tucker trade if they wanted to remain a contending team.
Now, Brown has to address the outfield because the Astros shouldn’t start Meyers, McCormick and Dubón next year.
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Not addressing the OF would make this Walker signing completely meaningless
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Agreed. Pressly should be traded for one, and I’d still look at signing a free agent. Santander or Teoscar Hernandez would be great, but I’d even settle for someone like Joc Pederson that crushes right-handed pitching.
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I’m not sold on Pederson as he’s basically a DH only.
Maybe a package could be put together to get Mullins? He’s a rental and unplayable vs LHP but thats fine on this team w/ Caratini the only position player set for FA after the season and Meyers, Chas, and Dubon who all hit very well vs LHP.
Winker is another possible 1 yr guy.
Profar?
Bryan Reynolds? Wilyer Abreu? Brendan Donovan? Brandon Lowe? Luis Robert?
I don’t think you need a package to get Mullins. I think Pressly for Mullins makes a lot of sense for both the Orioles and the Astros. If the Orioles want a right-handed centerfielder in the trade, Meyers can be included.
As for the other trade possibilities you listed, Reynolds, Robert, and Abreu are going to cost prospects that the Astros don’t really have nor want to move. I haven’t seen anything suggesting the Cardinals want to trade Donovan unless they get a trade they can’t refuse, and Brandon Lowe is a 2B who has had a lot of injury issues lately. Did you mean Josh Lowe in Tampa Bay?
No actually. “My friend” stated the Astros have talked to the Rays (they like Chas as a possible cheap rebound candidate) about Brandon.
Apparently the Astros like his bat a lot and think he can play LF and it will help keep him healthy.
He’s only played 3 innings in the OF since 2021, I don’t love that
I’m not sure that Lowe in LF is ideal but given club’s situation I think it’s exactly the type of creative deal that the club needs to explore. Lowe has hit in the past and will be just 30 coming into next season. No reason to think he can’t be productive at the plate next season and this team needs to get some offense out of the OF. Plus playing half his games in Daiken Field should help mask any defensive deficiencies. And his salary (looks like $5M) is very reasonable.
Then you make the move of Presley for Mullins as someone has brought up here many times and maybe you call it a day. Might be able to make all of those deals and stay under the tax threshold.
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Luxury Tax stuff for the 2024 season:
On the ride home from work this evening, I was listening to Sparks interview Wesneski on the Astroline podcast. Hayden won me over with his personality. He seems like the most genuinely fun, nice guy you could ever hope to meet. Very unassuming. Rooting hard for him to find success in his hometown.
The second half of the podcast was Sparky talking to Arrighetti. He comes across as mentally mature and tough beyond his years and it was easy to understand how he was able to handle his early struggles when he was called up and turned it around the way he did. Great listen.
FWIW, on Chandler Rome’s new podcast, Rome said he thinks the Astros are done with “big” signings. If true, the OF help with have to come via trade or a low profile signing along the lines of what the Phillies did with Kepler yesterday.
I was thinking the other day…what if in the Astros eyes Wesenski was the first or second rated piece in the Tucker deal? What if that’s a guy they held out to get included in that deal and the masses are thinking he’s a backend rotation guy at best or maybe a swingman?
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I really don’t see a scenario where the Astros are done with the outfield. I’m sure they have plans, if that’s playing coy and saying they’re done signing to try and amp up trade asks, or if they have actual targeted trade targets and are close…? No clue. But so far I feel like we’re watching a good team getting better while also not being stupid.
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They have fancy plans, and pants to match
Yanks get their consolation prize, a year of Paul Goldschmidt.