Dallas Keuchel trying to recruit David Price to Houston Astros
If the 2016 season started tomorrow, the Houston Astros would be well-equiped with a starting rotation that would feature Dallas Keuchel, Collin McHugh, Mike Fiers, Lance McCullers and Scott Feldman. But Keuchel tells The Houston Chronicle‘s Evan Drellich that he’s doing his part to try and put that rotation over the top.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
“The baseball fan in me definitely would like to see an upgrade but that’s not in my control,” Keuchel told Drellich. “I know I’ve made pitches to David Price — it’s just the baseball fan in me at the end of the day.”
Keuchel beat out Price for the American League Cy Young Award last week, though the now-former Toronto ace was the only other pitcher to receive first-place votes. Speculation has linked Price and other top free agents to Houston dating back to mid-summer, though actual reports have only had the Astros pursuing top bullpen help thus far this offseason.
That’s because Tony Sipp and Oliver Perez are two of the three players set to potentially leave Houston this winter, leaving the Astros in need of lefty relief help. But with the bullpen losses and Scott Kazmir being the only potential departures for Houston this offseason, the club stands to return better than ever with its core still intact next season. Adding Price, Zack Greinke or another top arm in addition to full seasons from Fiers, McCullers, Feldman, Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Carlos Gomez would go a long way towards helping Houston jump the Rangers and the rest of the pack to bring home an American League West division title in 2016.
Next: Cardinals Reportedly Eyeing Chris Davis
Once things begin to unfold with Aroldis Chapman, Darren O’Day, Andrew Miller and other top relievers available on the trade and free agent markets, chatter surrounding Price, Greinke, Alex Gordon and others as potential targets for the Astros will likely begin to become more prominent. That gives Keuchel a bit more time to text Price his best pitches as teams continue to put together theirs.