What catchers will the Houston Astros seek at the deadline?
The Houston Astros need help behind the plate if they plan on winning another World Series. Thankfully for them, there are multiple options on the trade block this summer. Who could they look at?
The Houston Astros have two clear needs this summer: a relief pitcher and a catcher. Although, even without either of the two, the reigning champions would remain contenders.
Nevertheless, general manager Jeff Luhnow and company are making calls to improve the club. And while Houston hasn’t been linked to a handful of different players, there are a few notable ones.
Reporters linked the Astros to Raisel Iglesias last week, but nothing is certain. Now, Houston has an eye on Wilson Ramos, per several reports.
Of course, just because the front office inquires about a player, a deal isn’t necessarily imminent. That was the case this offseason with premier trade target J.T. Realmuto. And Call to the Pen already made its case for why the Marlins catcher is No. 1 on Luhnow’s wish list.
However, there are several other decent options available.
Relief pitchers are easy to find, as every team across the league has a few dominant hurlers. Even Baltimore and Miami have suitable players for contenders.
But it’s much more difficult to find a dependable catcher in the league.
Houston ranked near the top in catcher production across the past few seasons. Yet, this year has been different, even with Max Stassi’s increased output. Brian McCann, currently injured, owns below-average numbers this year.
Thanks to Stassi, the Astros rank 12th in catcher OPS. That doesn’t include power hitter Evan Gattis, the team’s primary designated hitter.
But Houston isn’t the only team searching for a backstop, as Washington and Boston are also in the mix. Those two clubs rank 30th and 27th in catcher OPS, respectively.
If the Astros plan to acquire one of the few reliable catchers on the market, they will have to fight to get them.
Wilson Ramos
Ramos is arguably the best hitting catcher in the entire MLB after Realmuto. He has the second-best OPS among backstops with more than 200 at-bats. And he has the second-best average in the league as well.
Moreover, the veteran catcher has been one of the more productive backstops in two of the last three seasons.
The 30-year-old is consistent with his contact, owning a .270 career average. And while he played in Washington for much of his career, he contributed to several winning teams.
Now Ramos seems to be hitting his peak. In 2016, the All-Star posted a strong .307/.354/.496 slash line. His .291/.340/.479 line this season isn’t far from it.
Yet, the catcher is somewhat wasted talent on a team that’s not expected to make the playoffs. Thus, Tampa Bay would likely benefit from dealing the Venezuelan, who is a free agent this offseason.
Ramos reportedly enjoys playing for the Rays, and an extension was supposedly in the works. However, Tampa can ship him elsewhere, like Houston, in exchange for prospects.
Granted, if Ramos goes to the Astros, his willingness to re-sign with them might increase because of their success. Nevertheless, when the Yankees dealt Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs, he re-signed with New York later that year.
Sources: #Astros, #Rays have been in contact on a possible Wilson Ramos trade. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 12, 2018
Houston would slot Ramos into the leading catcher role. And even though McCann has another year left on his contract, he may retire before then – especially if the Astros win another title.
The seasoned backstop is poised to be the main guy behind the place somewhere in the league. And Houston wants to acquire someone that can become a long-term starter.
Ramos has all the tools to become exactly that.
Tucker Barnhart
The Cincinnati Reds don’t possess many notable players. But they still have valuable players, though few are of All-Star caliber.
Nevertheless, the Ohio club has Barnhart, who is a solid all-around catchers in the league. He ranks in the top 10 among qualified catchers in WAR, even though he owns a subpar .697 OPS. That’s because he saves runs.
Barnhart won his first Gold Glove award last year after accumulating 11 defensive runs saved. He currently ranks second among backstops in the defensive WAR, only behind Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Yes, that guy.
Unlike some of the current catching targets, Barnhart has a longer-term contract. He won’t be a free agent until 2021, which could be a good thing for buyers. However, for a guy that has a career OPS below .700, it’s not ideal.
However, the Astros can take a risk because Stassi has improved offensively. Surely, the younger up-and-comer can keep Houston’s catchers afloat compared to other teams in rankings. Meanwhile, Barnhart would provide solid defense.
Like Stassi, the Reds catcher is just 27 years old.
Yet, if Barnhart has already peaked, his contract could be a negative aspect. If he struggles mightily at the plate and loses his defensive prowess, he may not be worth keeping for three years. Nevertheless, the backstop only makes $4 million on average.
The Astros can afford to take the risk in order to improve its defense even further. And McCann sports an average just above the Mendoza line and will be out for another month at least.
At this point, even Garrett Stubbs in Triple-A may be a better option than McCann for the remainder of 2018. But Houston also has to wonder about the near future.
Salvador Perez
The depth of American League catchers is emphasized by Perez’s election as an All-Star. The Royals backstop, despite hitting 12 bombs, has a .643 OPS and owns a pithy .217 average.
Yet even though the 28-year-old is enduring his worst season as an MLB player, he still qualified for the Midsummer classic. That’s baseball.
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The Astros likely won’t pursue the six-time All-Star because he earns more than $10 million a year. Nevertheless, if they are willing to eat up that contract, they could potentially buy low.
Luhnow knows his way around a trade too.
And while Perez is unproductive at the dish, he still has proven experience and worth. Thus, he could easily rebound next season and become once again the top catcher in the league.
Moreover, the backstop would rather compete for another title than bask in the rebuilding era. Kansas City seems poised to engage in a fire sale. Perez could be the next move.
And the Astros could use some stability behind the dish, now that McCann has reached this point in his career. The major issue with Perez is price.
Houston has to find a way to keep its core starting pitchers in the rotation, unless it plans on developing top prospects like Forrest Whitley and J.B. Bukauskas. And Verlander, Morton and Cole could all cost a substantial fee.
Next: J.T. Realmuto is the real trade target
Surely, Luhnow doesn’t want to add Perez to the list of significant costs during the next few years. But if Perez rebounds well, maybe he would be worth it.
The veteran would be yet another All-Star on the roster. It would certainly give the Astros a boost behind the dish.