The middle of the Houston Astros infield is seemingly set for the next few years. Jose Altuve has found himself again over the past year and Jeremy Pena may be the favorite for the American League Rookie of the Year. Those positions, at the very least, should not be a concern.
However, both Altuve and Pena are dealing with minor injuries. That means both Aledyms Diaz and Niko Goodrum have been pressed into more frequent duty. The problem is that both players have been awful this season, leaving the Astros to attempt to find other options.
Houston Astros may have solved their utility infielder problem
That quest to find a more reliable option has led to a trade. The Astros acquired infielder Mauricio Duban from the San Francisco Giants for minor league catcher Michael Papierski.
Dubon had once been a highly regarded prospect who has settled in as a utility player in the majors. He has seen action at second, short, third, and center, making him the type of piece the Astros had been looking for.
It is fair to wonder how much of an upgrade Dubon would be, especially considering the track records of Diaz and Goodrum. He has produced a 258/.301/.395 batting line in his 524 career plate appearances, hitting 15 homers and 19 doubles. However, his excellent defense at each of those positions more than makes up for any questions with the bat.
Papierski, meanwhile, provides the Giants with some depth behind the plate. Joey Bart has not come close to living up to expectations and is disappointing with the bat and glove again this year. While he has started to see time at other positions, and may not be a force offensively himself, Papierski gives the Giants another option if they feel that Bart needs to be sent back to Triple-A.
The Houston Astros needed to find more depth in the middle of their infield. They have done just that by acquiring Mauricio Dubon from the Giants.