Houston Astros: Three budget friendly players to sign
After coming within a game of the World Series, the Houston Astros watched a handful of their star players hit free agency. Here’s a couple of names they should target as replacements.
The 2020 version of the Houston Astros limped into the postseason before getting hot and coming within one win of the Fall Classic. The Astros won the World Series in 2017, then lost in seven games during their return trip of 2019.
Several Astros players hit free agency after the season led by George Springer and Michael Brantley. Other contributors from the past also hit the market like Josh Reddick, Brad Peacock, and Chris Devinski.
While the window to produce another championship team may be closing, conceivably it is still open for the upcoming year. By spending their money wisely, the Astros can replace the free agents they are losing with some talented new players.
With $110M tied up in four players, the Astros have become a little top heavy with their contracts. They will need to become thrifty shoppers as they fill out their roster. What’s more, the Astros sit with 38 players on the 40-man roster. Free to sign two players before having to make a move to create room for any other free agents they possibly bring in.
If the Houston Astros enter the year with Martin Maldonado and Garrett Stubbs as their catchers, and a starting rotation of Zack Greinke, Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, and Jose Urquidy, they only need a closer, an outfielder, and an additional bullpen piece to round out the roster.
Let’s begin.
Alex Colome
I know the popular choice here is Liam Hendriks. Alex Colome is cheaper and will sign for fewer years. Colome needs to be the closer in 2021 for the Houston Astros.
The incumbent closer is Ryan Pressly and while he pitched admirably last year, he was only keeping the seat warm for a more established stopper this season. The Astros need to keep Pressly from appearing in 60 games next year, and keeping his $10M option vesting for the ’22 season.
Greinke, Justin Verlander, and some other $60M come off the books after this year as well. At that point, the Astros can target a closer long term.
MLB Trade Rumors predicts Colome could be had for one year at $6M. Both these numbers fit perfectly into the Astros’ plans moving forward.
Unlike Hendriks, who has only been a closer for just over a year and a half, Colome has been locking down games since 2016. He led all of baseball in 2017 with 47 saves for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Coming off a year where he had an ERA of 0.81 and a WHIP of 0.94, Colome is prime picking. If the Houston Astros want to avoid another Luke Gregerson/Ken Giles debacle, 2016 style, they’d be wise to sign Colome and use Pressly as the setup guy.
Jackie Bradley Jr.
Gone is the entire starting outfield in George Springer, Michael Brantley, and Josh Reddick. While Reddick and Springer will not be returning, Brantley could return. I’m thinking he’ll command too much money for the Houston Astros to be interested. Two years of Jackie Bradley Jr. will be about the same money as one for Brantley.
In the last normal season, the trio combined for 75 home runs. Those numbers will not be replaced by just one person, anyway, so why try? Bring in Bradley Jr. to hit some home runs, steal some bases, and save some runs on the defensive end.
Yordan Alvarez returns to the lineup after having surgery and missing all but two games last year. He’ll provide some power. Alvarez will be slotted as the designated hitter and won’t provide depth in the outfield. Kyle Tucker is coming into his own and Chas McCormick, after his addition to the playoff roster last season, is ready for the reins as well.
While Bradley Jr. doesn’t hit well, or get on base much, he does enough of the intangibles which allow him to fit in the Houston Astros lineup nicely. The Astros have guys to set the table, and move them around, they just need a role player who can run the bases well and make spectacular catches in the outfield.
Yusmeiro Petit
There is a lot of youth in the Houston Astros bullpen. They could use some veteran leadership in the form of Yusmeiro Petit. To sweeten the deal, Petit could be signed to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. This will give the Astros time to figure out who gets voted off the 40-man roster allowing Petit to join prior to the team heading north for the season.
Petit is a veteran of 13 years and is coming off a season where he pitched to the tune of a 1.66 earned run average. His eight holds ranked second on the team, behind Jake Diekman’s league leading 14.
In 2018, Petit lead the American League with 80 appearances. The workload didn’t slow him down as he had a solid 2.71 ERA.
The backend of the starting rotation is young, and may not pitch deep into games. The bullpen as a whole, save the prospective closer and setup man, is also very young. At 36 years of age, Petit can be an innings eater and arm saver coming out of the bullpen. He can also be a bridge man from starter to eighth inning guy.
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Yusmeiro Petit may not be the sexy choice on the free agent market, though he is the cost efficient, effective choice.