Agreed, but I would not dismiss the possibility of a trade involving McCormick or Meyers down the line either.
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Trading an outfielder in the future is certainly a possibility. Iād like to think the Tucker extension would be resolved one way or another, first.
If the team is in contention a couple months from now then they may need pitching. Team is in win now mode (again if still in contention prior to deadline) so donāt think Tucker extension will have any bearing on a trade.
I would add they need to find a position for him. I suggest they work him at 1B exclusively. Utility guys donāt get enough PT or consistent ABs. On the other hand, I fear RF is going to be open in 2026.
If Iām right Iām going to be pissed off as hell.
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They need starting pitching right now desperately, so they shouldnāt be waiting until the trade deadline. My point about the Tucker extension is unless Crane is willing to embrace a rebuild (unlikely), the Astrosā outfield depth becomes quite thin if you let Tucker walk after next season and trade either Meyers or McCormick for help elsewhere now.
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The OF depth isnāt the only thing that would be thin. The middle of the batting order will be skeletal.
Take Tucker off of this team I suggest the next rebuild to begin.
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Agreed. Tucker has to be extended if Crane wants to keep the window open.
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The ādepthā is there. They tons of minor league outfielders, and some with decent potential. What they really lack is any kind of star upside. Depth is great, for 80-86 wins with no stars or helping win 100 with the stars. If you want to win at the highest level, you need big time players and they donāt have a Tucker level player to replace him with. He must be signed or the rebuild will start, whether they want it to or not.
The last thing I want, if a rebuild is coming, is to hang on too long and have a repeat of 06-09 that tails into 10-13. If Crane isnāt going to pony up for Tucker and this season isnāt just a one time blip, you have to get ahead of the rebuild. The Phillies didnāt after 2010/11 and it took 11 years to get back. The Astros didnāt after 05/06 and it took 10 years to get back. The Braves did around 15 or so and were back in 3 years.
Spend the money needed to keep the championship window open or tear down and get ahead of the rebuild. There can be no middle ground. Tucker is the pivot, in my opinion.
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Agree.
The only other conceivable way to extend the window is by pitching dominance, and that would likely require (at least) 2 starting aces not currently in the organization.
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I hope Jim Crane sees Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez as the cornerstones of the Astros moving forward and is willing to move away from his stance of not offering contracts longer than six years to get Tucker extended.
There really isnāt a good excuse for Tucker not to remain an Astro if Crane wants to continue to win championships. Heās an MVP caliber player in his prime, and the Astros can afford him. After this year and next, the Astros have somewhere between 100-120M in payroll coming off the books (Bregman 28.5M, Graveman 7M, Pressly 14M, Jose Abreu 19.5M, Montero 11.5M, Verlander 17.5 and Framber somewhere between 12-15M. McCullers 17.5M million comes off the books after 2026, too.
Players like Kyle Tucker rarely come available in free agency, and they certainly will never be cheap. Like you said, heās a superstar, and those are the guys you need to win the World Series.
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What Would Luhnow Do?
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Pay him, pay that man his money.
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And yet tucker was invisible in last yearās playoffs after having a great season. Ah, baseball.
An ill-timed slump, for sure. But the Astros donāt get to the playoffs without him.
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Like i said. Great season.
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He trailed off in September and it continued into the postseason. BA was .245 Sep/Oct.
Iām always suspicious of nagging injuries with stuff like that (see Yordan this season).
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that is the right question. He was a historically great GM.
opening in the window seems to be getting smaller rather larger. NY (fuck them), baltimore, braves (fuck them), and dodgers (fuck them to death)are legit.
The astros have had an amazing run and i hope they are champions again in my lifetime and even better, right fucking now. Still, i better start eating vegetables or something, could be a while.
Let me remind everyone championing Loperfido that in a very small sample size in the majors he had a 40% K - Rate. He also had a BABIB of .571 - that is about as high as I have seen a BABIP. That is being very lucky.
He needs to be playing everyday in AAA and working on the K rate. His K rate jumped from in the low 20ās to the low 30ās when he jumped to AAA. He has just played 57 games at AAA.
As for learning to play first base - it is incredably hard.
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His prior infield experience makes me hopeful. It appears, though, that the Astros management has little interest in Loperfido at first.
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