Houston Astros: With Cole, what’s the front office’s next move?
By Kyle Cardoza
The Houston Astros made a blockbuster trade Saturday, acquiring Pittsburgh ace Gerrit Cole. What is the next step for the reigning World Series champions?
It didn’t take the Houston Astros long to reel in Gerrit Cole once they became involved in the chase. Now the reigning World Series champions look like a 100-win team if it remains healthy.
Yet, even with the significant acquisition and a few other signings this offseason, Houston can become even better.
Colin Moran, Joe Musgrove, Jason Martin and Michael Feliz all played a minimal role in the organization, and the franchise didn’t lose much with each of their departures. The current roster consists of talent, depth, and experience – possibly more than any team in the league.
The club’s starters seem set in just about every position. Meanwhile, with the addition of Cole, the Astros possess a stacked rotation that, if healthy, can carry the team to another World Series.
With a little less than two months before Spring Training, there are still numerous valuable free agents on the market. Houston can take advantage of it.
Astros should sign Tony Watson and Carlos Gonzalez and call it an offseason.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) January 14, 2018
Other than searching for a starting pitcher, the Astros also scoured the market for an extra outfielder. They dealt just one capable outfielder in the trade for Cole – not Kyle Tucker – and still have a bevy of options.
However, some fans believe adding a veteran bat like Carlos Gonzalez could be rewarding. Of the handful of outfielders on the squad, Derek Fisher has the least experience and most doubt surrounding him.
That route is an option for general manager Jeff Luhnow. Speedsters like Ben Revere and Jarrod Dyson are available. Old dogs that have some gas left in the tank, such as Curtis Granderson and Howie Kendrick, are also still on the market.
If Houston wants an older presence in the clubhouse, someone like Carlos Beltran, there are plenty of choices for the taking. But last year’s No. 1-ranked offense already looks capable of flourishing at a high level this year.
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The next move on the agenda should center on signing a left-handed relief pitcher. Up to this point, it seems that Luhnow plans to press his luck with young southpaws in the organization. Tony Sipp will have to log a substantial amount of innings once again, being the only veteran lefty reliever in the pen.
Guys like Lionel Perez, Reymin Guduan, and Anthony Gose haven’t been tested in the bigs yet.
Guduan is the only one with any MLB experience, and he logged just 16 innings last year. Gose is a former position player attempting to reestablish his career. He’s still feeling it out on the mound. Perez is a walking question mark, as he’s just 21 years old and has no experience outside of Cuba.
Plenty of left-handers need new teams. Tony Watson might be the best option on the market, but he will want a more costly deal. Fernando Abad, Boone Logan, and Glen Perkins are some other notable names Houston can look into.
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The Astros are now the team to beat in the MLB, and maybe they were even before the Cole trade. But there are still moves to make, and the front office has an opportunity to cash in before the new season commences.