Do NOT trade Javier.
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I’m a fan of the Urquidy for Christian Walker idea floating around (plus whatever pieces necessary for each side to even out the deal). Play the matchups for the rest of this season, then Walker takes over 1B in 2023-24.
There is far too much uncertainty around McCullers’ elbow for me to trade one of the six current rotation pieces for an outfielder. I don’t think you will have enough clarity by the deadline.
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Not an unreasonable concern.
Verlander’s performance makes it easy to forget, but we’re still in his recovery/rehab/what-have-you period, and I think the club will continue to spread out his starts in order to increase odds that he’ll be effective in the postseason. And that means six starters. I doubt that they will count on McCullers as one of those six.
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Agreed. I think we might see McCullers as a multi-inning weapon in the bullpen if his elbow checks out. Similar to how they used Javier in previous seasons.
Fair to want to stay with six starters, but I’m not sure the rotation is any worse off if they trade Urquidy for a bat and Hunter Brown takes his place.
I’d like to see Brown pitch a few innings of ball with the big club before I make that kind of assessment.
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Not so sure I agree. I’d guess we’re past the realm of chance and can safely call Urquidy a “big game pitcher”. His value in the post season should not be diminished.
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Absolutely—no time like the present to give him that look! I’m just excited about him as a prospect and I think he can get big outs for the big league club. There’s certainly no need to make a move like I’m suggesting, but if Click wants to cash in some rotation depth for a bat, I think it’s a good place to look.
I’m perfectly fine with McCullers in a bullpen role to come in and throw 37 straight knee bucklers to the Yankees.
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Could you imagine how delicious that would be if he did it again?
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Agree on both counts. To my untrained eye, it looked like Verlander wore down a bit as the 2019 postseason went on. He was three years and one elbow younger then. If the Astros are still playing this October, Verlander and McCullers are hardly known quantities, and they’ll need all the insurance arms they can get.
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I agree with this. In Game Six in 2019, JV did not have his good FB. I was saying “uh, oh” by the second inning when 93 was where he was consistently.
I remember him not being the same after being asked to pitch on short rest. He didn’t pitch well in that start and didn’t really pitch well after. Maybe that had nothing to do with it, but that’s what I remember.
He also didn’t pitch well (enough) in his first start in that WS.
I too think he was spent.
Yep, he pitched well up to the WS, but I also think he was out of gas. He had plenty of rest before Game Six but did not have his good FB.
This is interesting…
If Brantley is a question mark, this makes all the sense in the world.
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This makes little sense to me - but then again, it’s Heyman.