Astros general manager Dana Brown met with reporters this afternoon at the team’s luncheon. As he has done all season, the GM played down the possibility of trading his infield while noting that they are still looking for ways to add a left-handed bat.
“If we could trade a guy for a left-handed bat or something like that, we would consider that,” Brown told reporters (including Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle ). “But I think right now we have a very good infield. We have depth. We have a long season, 162. We have some veterans that we would like to give a break during the season, and the depth is good.”
That’s the tone Brown struck all winter. He said at the beginning of the GM Meetings that they were not promoting trade Christian Walker and he was not interested in moving Isaac Paredes. He also talked about those strikers who are there today. “Right now, both of them are still part of our roster. We have plans for both of them to play. So, the plan is for both of them to be there,” said Brown.
Walker and Paredes are in very different places in terms of trade value. Walker is signed for $20MM per year in his age 35-36 season. He is coming off a .238/.297/.421 showing with his defensive numbers dropping in his first year in Houston. The Astros would likely need to pay more than half of the contract to move Walker. He is unlikely to pick up a left-handed bat no matter how much he collects. Walker hit 27 homers and had a decent second half, so the Astros probably don’t want to move him to save part of the contract.
Paredes will have the biggest appeal. He made $9.35MM after reaching an arbitration agreement this afternoon. The Astros don’t have an obvious place for him in the starting infield after the rebound Carlos Correa playing third base while Paredes was injured last summer. Correa obviously has enough experience at shortstop but he won’t play there regularly for the team Jeremy Peña. Houston plans to keep Jose Altuve primarily at second base. Manager Joe Espada said they want to keep it all winter Jordan Alvarez to the designated hitter as possible.
That leaves Paredes as a versatile player for now, though all it takes is one injury to change that. They will always find ways to put his bat in the lineup even if everyone is healthy. Walker, Altuve and Correa are all in their 30s and could benefit from more rest than the team was able to provide last season. Paredes is coming off a strained hamstring that cost him most of the second half, so early season rest days won’t be too bad for him either.
The Red Sox are the team most often tied to Paredes in trade rumors. They haven’t changed Alex Bregman infield and have two hitters who can’t control, Wilyer Abreu again Jarren Duranwho would fit the great need of Houston’s program. It would be surprising to see the Sox part with Duran or Abreu for Paredes — at least not a one-man deal. Paredes has the shortest control window of the three. Boston is reportedly interested Marcelo Mayer at the hot corner and looking to add a defensive second baseman, which is not Paredes’ specialty. Even if there is a viable draft, it would require Houston to send more talent to the Sox even in a package.
An early first-round pick Brice Matthews likely to go back to Triple-A to start the year. He hit 17 homers and stole 41 bases while hitting .260/.371/.458 at the level last year. Matthews hit for a shocking 28% strikeout rate, however, and had 47 plate appearances in the first 20 games in MLB. Baseball America marks him as the #3 prospect in Houston’s weak program. He still has a few major league options but could be a trade chip if the Astros don’t deal any of their veteran players.
Brown noted that the Astros are still exploring free agent opportunities to add the remaining bat. They are within a few million dollars of the $244MM tax cap that owner Jim Crane is reportedly reluctant to cross. Even someone who plays the same role Mike Tauchman or Adam Frazier they could put them very close to that mark to leave the front office with enough room to add during the season. Perhaps there is an active contract for a striker who may be released by another club. Daniel Schneemann, Robert Hassell III or Yanquiel Fernandez (the latter of whom should currently be off waivers after being designated for assignment by the Rockies) are a few speculative options that may be available at low cost.
