Houston Astros Reportedly Made an Offer in Right-Handed Player Which Was Successful.
The Houston Astros will have to find ways to add talent at the margins given their current financial situation. Their television deal has the money situation up in the air and helps explain why owner Jim Crane is hesitant to add any payroll or pursue any big free agent names.
However, one addition the Astros could make is for Cuban right-hander Yariel Rodriguez according to Francys Romero.
Rodriguez has never pitched at the MLB level, instead he has spent the majority of his career in Cuba or in Japan in the NBL. He is only 27-years-old and plenty of upside, it’s why the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees are also showing interest in the righty.
Across eight seasons and multiple foreign leagues, Rodriguez has compiled a 3.06 ERA over the course of 731.1 innings pitched. How well that will translate to the Major League level remains to be seen but scouts and teams remain high on Rodriguez.
Houston could use some bullpen help, but Rodriguez also projects well as a starter if the Astros wish to try and stretch him out. MLBTR has Rodriguez projected to earn a four-year, $32 million deal in free agency, which should still be in Houston’s price range.
One thing is clear this offseason, the Astros need to add pitching depth, both for the rotation and the bullpen. The trick will be how they can do it while fitting underneath the luxury tax threshold while also shedding payroll at the same time.
After the offseason looked like it was going to be a quiet one for the Houston Astros, reports that they might be interested in moving their ace Framber Valdez put the spotlight back on what could get done this winter.
With the Astros in “win now” mode, it’s strange they would consider trading one of their best starters.
However, with limited financial flexibility and a barren farm system, moving Valdez would positively impact both of these issues.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report put together an interesting trade proposal that would have Houston sending their ace to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for left-handed starter Nick Lodolo, reliever Fernando Cruz and their No. 5 overall prospect, third baseman Cam Collier.
“The Reds have a notable surplus of talented infielders, but that’s not really what the Astros need. This trade suits them because it would net them a lefty with huge upside in Lodolo and, in Cruz, one of the game’s more underrated swing-and-miss relievers,” he writes.
This is definitely an intriguing trade package.
After this season, the 26-year-old Lodolo would have three years of club control remaining. Cruz is still in pre-arbitration for two more seasons and Collier is a 19-year-old mega-talent who was the Reds’ first round pick in 2022.
The Astros would get back a starter who could help them in their current window, along with a bullpen piece, while also getting a future third baseman to address the Alex Bregman uncertainty.
