Next season, this is going to be a 3 team race from the start. Lineup Astros: 8 of 9 are set. Need to decide on LF/CF. Rangers: 8 of 9 are set. Need new DH. Mariners: 6 of 9 are set: Need to decide on 2B, DH, and a new RF. Rotation: Astros: 6+ deep but injury concerns and lack of upside after top 4. This get much deeper if McCullers is healthy. Rangers: best rotation money and father time can build. Losing Montgomery but de Grom steps in joining Scherzer, Eovaldi, Gray, Heaney, and Dunning. Mariners: Ray returns joining Castillo, Gilbert, Kirby, Miller and Woo. Marco Gonzales is there too. One or more could be traded for offense, but it looks full of depth and upside now Bullpen: Astros: lose quite a bit of depth but the top 2 "big boys" return and Graveman is OK #3, better #4. Sousa was outstanding and could help but this is a group lacking depth. Rangers: Sborz looked to turn a corner and Bush will be back, but this group was terrible and needs several new/better arms. Mariners: Munoz is a stud and lots of depth here after him. It feels like they pull these guys out of thin air over and over every year. Overall: Rangers have best lineup with Astros a close 2nd and Mariners distant 3rd. Rotations could finish in any order. It will all be about health for all 3. Astros get nod in bullpen with best 2 relievers in the division, Mariners are close due to depth and Rangers are a distant 3rd. Overall: Astros are still the best team due to fewer holes/weaknesses. Rangers bullpen and Mariners lineup hold them back. Astros win 2024 AL West.
Framber best come back a new man who resembles the guy in 2022. I don't know what that's going to take but it's in his best interests. lol
There is not a team that can come close to matching Alvarez/Chas/Meyers for LF/CF. All the Astros need is a manager that understands that Alvarez, Chas, and Meyers are better than Julks.
deGrom would be back no earlier than July of 2024 most likely. And given his history I’m not sure they’ll be able to count on him for anything substantial next season. Also, some regression is very likely in store for Heaney, Dunning, Gray and Eovaldi.
I love Jake and think he has a Chas-like breakout in him. But I also think he is too much like Chas skill-wise and does not hit RHP well enough to be the regular starter. I would like to see the Astros trade him in a package for a guy like Riley Greene or Nolan Jones who mashes RHP.
Astros are going to win 105 next year if crane decides that he wants us to be a smart organization again. I will have strong feelings one way or another after I see what we do at manager, with maldy and if we get in a platoon partner for meyers who mashes RHP
Assuming a smart manager... Most catchers that hit LHPs better than Meyers are really good and are starting catchers for other teams. Odds are good that the Astros get a backup catcher that doesn't hit well and definitely doesn't hit LHPs better than Meyers. Diaz catches most of those games against LHPs. To keep Diaz's bat fresh, he's likely not going to be catching much against RHPs (say 20-40% behind the plate). So basically, that leaves 20-60 games versus RHPs that Alvarez isn't in the OF with Meyers in CF, Chas in LF for about 50 games versus LHPs. I'd love a platoon partner for Meyers. I just don't see paying a big price as other have suggested to cover 20-60 games especially if it involves losing Meyers's defense and bat against LHPs for about 50 games (or other MLB talent). Meyers would likely be close to an average bat overall if he was covering the 20-60 games versus a RHP as well as not getting the shaft versus LHPs. Personally, I'm fine just giving LF to Alvarez versus RHPs fulltime and getting a RHP masher for DH that can backup 1B. I'm fine with getting a RHP masher for the OF if the price is right. If the Astros get a big bat at catcher to platoon with Diaz, Alvarez is going to be the LF even more limiting playing time both for Meyers as well as a hypothethical RHP masher in the OF.
DeGrom is expected back in September I believe - and will be 37 years old. He will be a weapon if he doesn't have any set backs, but I am not sure he will be ready to be a starter at that point. Garcia and McCullers are supposed to be back around July 1. Both teams have starters that have injury concerns. Let's see how free spending the Rangers are this off season, that will have a big impact on all of this. The Astros will have to spend "real" money on a few players if they want to feel good about winning the division and a shot at winning the World Series. They are going to need another outfielder and another top reliever arm at a minimum.
How much Jake Meyers plays is directly going to depend on who the next manager is. I don't think it is a guarantee that he is even on the team next year, as there are scenarios where the Astros could trade him and sign another part time centerfielder for short money. If the Astros are aggressive replacing Brantley with a healthier corner outfielder, then Chas could be in center 145 games next year.
I hope the next manager is wise enough to realize Meyers is a great player versus LHPs, Alvarez is the best LF in the game, Alvarez is the best DH in the game, Chas is more valuable in CF, but fine in LF, and Tucker is great in RF. If Dubon is an average hitter or better going forward, he's also in the mix for OF time. While the team doesn't have a backup catcher and needs pitching, it just seems like taking the best OF and trying to make it better seems like it is not going to be the best bang for the buck. If they trade away Meyers, just go with Alvarez, Chas, and Tucker with Dubon as the backup. Having someone that can play DH and backup Abreu in case of injury is probably more important and cheaper than finding an OF that keeps Alvarez at the DH. Personally, I'm fine with a Chas, Meyers, Tucker OF playing a lot. I get that people don't value CF defense as much as me. It is just weird to me that if one doesn't value defense highly, that the Alvarez, Chas, Tucker OF isn't the solution to the perceived OF problem.
I think Meyers has a Chas-like breakout in him. The issue is his skills are too much like his and his weakness vs RHP mirrors an overall team weakness that needs to be addressed. I think Jake should be moved in a package deal force young controllable CF who hits RHP well. Riley Greene, Lars Nootbar, Jack Suwinski, Mike Yastrzemski, that Grizzly Adams Marsh guy, Mickey Moniak are some players that come to mind.
I’d like too see Snell or Montgomery as the big deal. Neris, Maldonado back and adding Matt Moore to the pen. Could use another left hand bat.
I want Montgomery because that guy seems to be an auto-5 or 6 shutout innings against us in the post-season. He is the only one that can make Yordan look foolish at the plate. I think Rangers or another AL contender open the wallet to keep him for that alone.
That could work if tou don’t mind Diaz DH-ing a bunch. I think that’s a waste and want him behind the plate 120 times a year and at 1B 20 times a year and never really at DH. Maybe I’m not getting what you are saying.
I’m perfectly happy to trade meyers if we get commensurate value for a 3 war CF with 3 years of club control left which is what he is. That seems like a grade 50 prospect and a RP might be interesting and fair value. Call it Maton and Diaz part two.
If the Astros trade Meyers, I don’t think it is because they just want to dump him - it will be because they get something back they want more. That could be a reliever they really like under team control or perhaps a minor leaguer they are very high on. Meyers is solid against lefties, not sure about really good though. As for defense - it does matter. Part of the issues Valdez, Javier and others had was the elimination of the shift and that the defense wasn’t as good. There were a number of times down the stretch where errors or even missed chances resulted in 3-4 run innings. Im perfectly happy with Meyers playing center against lefties. I think it is all going to come down to maximizing the pieces they have in trade to get better - and we will see if that includes Meyers or Pena or one of the starting pitchers.
One more reliable outfielder would do wonders for their chances. I mean, they were running out Corey Julks and the corpse of Michael Brantley in between spot starts of Dubon. They have to upgrade there.
