Houston Astros: Options to fill out a currently barren outfield
As the Houston Astros begin their offseason roster work, the outfield will be the biggest focal point.
The 2020 pandemic-shortened MLB season gave us a long list of unique, rare, and downright weird moments over the course of its 60-game schedule, including taking a page out of the NBA playoff scene and having two teams with a losing record make the playoff field, the 29-31 Houston Astros being one of those teams.
Luckily for the Astros, there were no fans filling up ballparks on a nightly basis to remind them of their recent transgressions, but the 2020 season still proved to be a challenging season for Houston.
At the end of the day, Houston forced their way into a game seven in the American League Championship Series, just one win away from a World Series rematch against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
That same roster that took them to the doorstep of another World Series returns largely intact, including a young and promising starting rotation and the usual veterans like Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman. But there is one major area of concern, the outfield.
George Springer, 31, is now a free agent and looking to cash in after entering free agency for the first time in his career. Early offseason rumors suggest that a return to Houston isn’t in the future for Springer, who is likely to command a contract well-north of $100 million as one of the more premium bats on the market.
Michael Brantley has also entered free agency, coming off back-to-back solid seasons with Houston where he posted a wRC+ of 133 and 134, hitting over .300 with a combined 5.5 Wins Above Replacement value.
That currently leaves the Houston Astros with a starting outfield of Kyle Tucker, Myles Straw, and Chas McCormick. It’s far from an ideal outfield at the moment, but it won’t take much to fix this weakness.
Here’s how the Astros address their outfield needs and put together a productive unit.
The Houston Astros have to bring back Michael Brantley in 2021.
It seems as if re-signing George Springer isn’t going to be an option for the Houston Astros, barring an unforeseen miracle which isn’t out of the question considering it’s still 2020. So we’re going to operate under the assumption that Springer isn’t coming back.
How do the Astros address their outfield?
Step one is to bring Michael Brantley. This is a pretty easy choice and it appears that the two sides have a mutual desire to get a deal done.
Houston doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room with their salary cap, but enough to swing a two-year/$20+ million deal for Brantley to return to the lineup.
A 12-year MLB veteran, Brantley slashed .300/.364/.476 with five home runs and 15 doubles in 46 games this season for Houston, appearing mainly at DH to replace the void left by Yordan Alvarez for much of the year. But the defense is still there for the 33-year-old outfielder.
Brantley was worth 1 Outs Above Average and 5 Defensive Runs Saved in left field last season, respectable numbers for those concerned about his age. With a healthy Alvarez set to take over full-time DH duties in 2021, the Astros can still feel comfortable keeping Brantley in the outfield to keep his bat in the lineup with other options expected to be more limited.
There may be more options available to Brantley with the universal DH on the horizon, but a reunion with the Houston Astros is beneficial to both sides. Banking on the fact that a lingering quad injury and the weirdness that was 2020 are to blame for his slight regression last season, another two-year investment in Brantley will be worthwhile.
Jackie Bradley Jr is the top center field option available in free agency and a perfect fit for the Houston Astros.
That still leaves one more outfield spot to fill for the Houston Astros, center field. They won’t be able to replace George Springer’s offensive production, but they can fill the void in center field with a strong defensive option, something the Astros should invest in if the plan is to bring back Michael Brantley and play him in left field on a full-time basis.
The top option available is without a doubt former Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. The two seem like a match made in heaven.
Bradley put together an impressive offensive campaign in 2020, but there might have been a bit of luck involved.
In 55 games, Bradley slashed .283/.364/.450 with 18 extra-base hits, a near 11% walk rate, and a 119 wRC+. The slash line and wRC+ were well-above his career average, possibly due to his .343 BABIP. But Bradley can still be depended on to hit double-digit home runs and be a league-average hitter.
Luckily, teams like the Houston Astros aren’t signing Jackie Bradley for his offense. If he’s a league-average bat, as he normally is, that’s fine and anything else at the plate is a bonus.
His real value comes from his glove. Bradley recorded 7 Outs Above Average in a shortened 2020 season and has accumulated 39 Outs Above Average in total out in center field from 2016-2018.
According to Baseball Savant, Bradley ranks in the 99th percentile in Outs Above Average, 62nd percentile in sprint speed, and 78th in outfield jump. He’s handled the expansive outfield of Fenway Park very well throughout his career and should be able to do the same in Houston with ease.
Forrest Whitley needs an opportunity. dark. Next
The Houston Astros will have to find another way to make up for the lost offense, but re-signing Michael Brantley and bringing in Jackie Bradley Jr.to patrol center field and slot next to Kyle Tucker in right field is a solid fix to a pressing problem.