Even because the Astros have misplaced 60% of their rotation to the injured listing, they not solely stay in rivalry — they maintain a comparatively commanding five-game lead over the second-place Mariners within the American League West. It’s shaping as much as be one other deadline targeted on including expertise, and normal supervisor Dana Brown candidly indicated yesterday in a radio look on SportsTalk 790 AM that he hopes so as to add a left-handed bat previous to the July 31 commerce deadline (hyperlink through Chandler Rome of The Athletic). Brown acknowledged that there are different objects on his wishlist however referred to as a left-handed bat the “massive challenge.”
It’s stating the plain, in some ways. With Yordan Alvarez out indefinitely as a result of a small fracture in his hand — an harm initially introduced as irritation — the one left-handed bat within the Astros’ lineup is switch-hitting catcher Victor Caratini. Backup catcher César Salazar, utility infielder Luis Guillorme and switch-hitting catcher/outfielder Cooper Hummel are all on the bench as left-handed choices. Simply minutes earlier than this was revealed, the ’Stros additionally reinstated outfielder Taylor Trammell from the injured listing and optioned infielder/outfielder Shay Whitcomb, giving them one other lefty bat off the bench.
Brown didn’t listing a selected place at which he hopes so as to add a left-handed hitter. The Astros’ least-productive spots on the diamond, by measure of wRC+, have been first base, second base, left subject and designated hitter. First base is being manned by Christian Walker after he signed a three-year, $60MM contract within the offseason. He’s not prone to lose his job anytime quickly. The struggles on the different three positions are all intertwined.
Jose Altuve has taken up the lion’s share of taking part in time in left subject this 12 months and has graded as one of many sport’s worst defenders there. Defensive Runs Saved has him final within the majors amongst left fielders. Statcast’s Outs Above Common has him “solely” tied for fifth-worst, however lots of the folks surrounding him have performed extra innings. On a fee foundation, he’s shut to the underside. These struggles aren’t precisely shocking; Altuve is studying left subject on the fly at 35 years of age — however the motive he’s doing so is as a result of his glovework at second base had deteriorated a lot. He’s additionally graded poorly at second in restricted time this season. Altuve may, in idea, be moved to designated hitter — however Alvarez will return in some unspecified time in the future. Houston may up Alvarez’s time in left subject, however he’s not an awesome defender himself and the Astros have restricted his reps within the outfield as a result of a historical past of knee troubles.
There’s not essentially one clear spot the place Houston can purchase a left-handed bat and plug stated hitter into the lineup on an on a regular basis foundation at that singular place. That’s simply emblematic of how groups function today, although. Most golf equipment rotate gamers by a number of positions versus the bygone period of set beginning gamers at each place on the diamond. There are a number of gamers who’ll be recurrently penciled into the identical spot no matter matchup on each crew, after all, however not whole lineups constructed in that method.
Broadly talking, it would behoove the Astros to focus on a left-handed bat who can play each the infield and the outfield. That would imply much less taking part in time for Altuve, Walker utilityman Mauricio Dubon and proper fielder Cam Smith, however nobody from that group would see his at-bats erode totally.
It’s nonetheless too early for a lot of golf equipment across the league to make determinations on shopping for and promoting, however somebody like switch-hitting utilityman Willi Castro could be a pleasant slot in Houston if the Twins can’t escape their current tailspin and wind up promoting some rental gamers. The Rays are sometimes keen to have interaction on their costlier veteran gamers, no matter rivalry standing, they usually’re nearing the tip of their dedication to Brandon Lowe (signed by 2025 with an $11.5MM membership choice for 2026). The Cardinals are too near playoff rivalry proper now to contemplate it, however Brendan Donovan is the kind of participant who may gain advantage the Astros. These, to be clear, are speculative strategies however are the types of gamers whose talent units would gel with the Astros’ roster as presently constructed.
Any discuss of Houston including to the roster must be accompanied by a payroll caveat. Astros proprietor Jim Crane is reportedly loath to exceed the posh tax for a second straight season. He’s publicly instructed that he’d achieve this in the best situation — an Alex Bregman this previous offseason seemed to be such a case, for example — however the crew’s precise actions and reporting from the Houston beat all strongly counsel staying beneath the $241MM tax threshold is a precedence. The Astros, understanding a Kyle Tucker extension would stretch properly past Crane’s consolation ranges, traded him to the Cubs this previous offseason. In addition they dumped a very good portion of Ryan Pressly’s contract in separate swap with the Cubs later within the winter — a transfer that dipped them again beneath the tax threshold.
An April commerce with the Braves through which Houston surprisingly discovered a taker for $3MM of the remaining dedication to Rafael Montero may show pivotal this summer season. The Astros had been about $2.5MM shy of the tax threshold at that time. RosterResource now estimates them to be about $5.5MM away, giving Brown a very good little bit of further leeway as he seeks so as to add some left-handed steadiness to his lineup.
