The Astros, after rolling through a magnificent run to reach the top of the AL West, stumbled on the road against the lowly Oakland A’s, having to pull out the finale to avoid a sweep by the last-place team.
They come home and face one of the best teams in the majors, the LA Dodgers. Certainly, how they perform against the Dodgers while the Rangers play the so-so last-place Blue Jays and the Mariners play the putrid last-place White Sox is of interest, though hopefully, they will end Sunday still in first place in the AL West.
The Mariners (1 game back) have been in a tailspin and just cut loose of their starting but slumping first baseman Ty France and put two of their best players, Julio Rodriguez and J.P. Crawford, on the IL. The Rangers have been hanging around and took advantage of the Astros’ woes, playing the A’s to creep within 2.5 games of the division lead.
But frankly, what might make or break this weekend is something occurring (or not occurring) off the field as GM Dana Brown seeks improvement for the team before the Tuesday trade deadline. If rumors are to be believed, they are looking for a more consistent first baseman and/or starting pitching help.
The first baseman might be nice, but let’s face it – if they walk away from the deadline without more starting pitching help this will feel like a fail.
Right now, the Astros have three solid starters in Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown and Ronel Blanco. They have Spencer Arrighetti, who looks a lot like Hunter Brown circa 2023, a bipolar combination of prime Justin Verlander and bottom-of-the-barrel melting-down Framber Valdez. On top of that they have been handing out regular outings to rookie Jake Bloss, who has never pitched at AAA, but needs to.
If either Verlander or Luis Garcia looked like they were on the cusp of returning to the rotation, things would not seem so desperate. But fans are not only concerned about the last two spots in the rotation but also the effect of a ton of innings on both Brown and Blanco down the stretch and hopefully into the playoffs.
Who might be out there for the Astros to pursue for the pitching spot? We pulled some choices from a list at mlbtraderumors Top 50 Trade Candidates For The 2024 MLB Trade Deadline – MLB Trade Rumors
- Jack Flaherty of the Tigers – He’s the perfect choice if you want someone who is pitching very well and not a huge $ commitment (between $5-6 million) as a rental. But can you pony up enough to grab him? (That question applies to almost every one of these guys).
- Garrett Crochet, White Sox — This is a real wild card. He’s pitching great, but…. Talk has been that he needs to be moved to the bullpen so he does not burn out before the playoffs, since he is heading into unmapped innings areas with this season production. Plus, there was a rumor running around yesterday that he will want a team to give him an extension if they want him to pitch in the playoffs.
- Erick Fedde, White Sox – He has been very good for the Pale Hose and is quite affordable – about $2.5 million for the rest of the season and $7.5 million for next season. Of course, that bumps up what the Astros might have to give up for him. Rumor has tied the Astros to him.
- The Zack twins—Zack Elfin and Zack Littel of the Rays—have more of a history as starters, but Elfin also has a much bigger contract and more money commitment for 2025. An article yesterday linked the Astros to Elfin, and he is the one who should be drawing more interest.
- Yusei Kikuchi, Blue Jays – The lefty would be a reasonable rental, who has pitched up and down this year but with more up than down.
- Cal Quantrill and Austin Gomber, Rockies – Quantrill would have more value, get paid more and would likely cost more in a trade. Question: Would a guy from a bad club at elevation in Colorado with an ERA around 4 do well at sea level but in a pennant race?
There are other candidates, and this blog has been terrible at predicting trades, but that is a shot at some likely candidates. How do you feel about them? Do you have any first basemen that you are interested in bringing to Houston?
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
59 responses to “Astros ’24: Big weekend? Or not?”
Put a line through Eflin. He’s off to Baltimore.
LikeLike
And….
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/07/rangers-among-clubs-with-interest-in-yandy-diaz.html
LikeLike
Y’all go ahead and shout me down…
Dan, I know the Astros are somewhat hamstrung $$-wise this year, but I’m really wondering if Crane can help himself from going all in on Verlander or Gerrit Cole-type trades of a few years back.
Is Guerrero too much to expect? Talk about a splash! Would he and Brown dare pull the trigger? Where would he hit with Yordan, Altuve, Tucker and Bregman?
Or is this really just a year of small adds and tweaks?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know what to think Chip.
Picking up Vlad would make for a heckuva lineup when Tucker returns.
And frankly I don’t think there is a JV equivalent out there on the pitching side.
This deadline may well tell us who is in charge and what direction this team is headed.
LikeLike
I would not be at all surprised if Crane dictated a big move late on the 30th.
LikeLike
But I do think Guerrero is a young guy who has already peaked.
LikeLike
The Jays aren’t trading him and unless he has a decent fastball and off speed pitch, they don’t need him.
LikeLike
I saw an article recently throwing BAL 1st baseman Ryan Mountcastle’s name into the mix. It also mentioned the O’s have some whiz bang AAA prospect waiting to take his place, but is currently blocked, and could be for some time. No idea what it would take to make that happen. But hey, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
LikeLike
Framber is a “calming, steadying influence” in the Astros pitching staff….? WTF?
Blondie didn’t do her homework for this game before she wandered in from Appleland! Or maybe she did…
LikeLike
Poor Chas. He was struggling so hard to not look at those big plastic headlights Blondie was flashing at him there! Good job, kid.
LikeLike
Astros see EIGHT pitches in the first inning…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Somehow, I was expecting you to be fuming when Bregman popped up!
LikeLike
Nine in the second inning…
LikeLike
Ooopps, still batting.
LikeLike
I wonder if McCormick needs to get his eyes checked. Looks like he just doesn’t see the ball until it’s 30 feet away. At least Joey got em 1 out of that…..
LikeLike
Seattle is winning big in Chicago and the Rangers have a lead in the 6th in Toronto. It’s gut check time for our boys.
LikeLike
Speaking of gut checks. Ouch!
LikeLike
I’m hoping we can land Yandy Diaz so as to make the lineup possibilities even more confusing. I think this is the year we better win it, though, because Baltimore is loaded and not going away.
LikeLike
Toronto walked it off in the 9th. Rangers bullpen is even worse than ours. Seattle taking batting practice in Chicago tonight. Gotta win this one to stay ahead.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great job from all the pitchers tonight. Framber was dominant and exactly what we want to see from Abreu, Pressly, and Scott. Good to see that Big Jon hasn’t given up his fight for that job in Houston. That moonshot tonight was obliterated!
After that fantastic catch from Joey, they did a good job of neutralizing Ohtani. Hats off to that. Not easy to do! That guy is amazing!
Tomorrow should be a lot of fun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sixty regular season games left! Let’s win this thing!
LikeLike
I rarely include Framber in my pitching commentary. I do know that he can go as many innings as anyone in the game. He can throw 200 innings. He can also go off the deep end. Tonight he was magnificent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
In response to the question posed by the post, I will just let my scatterbrain romp:
Thought the Dodgers would romp over us based on the way we played in Oakland. I was not aware of how damaged the Dodgers are right now. And yet, no one in their division seems up to challenging them.
Seems like the Astros will have to win their division to make the playoffs unless they go on a big winning trend. 35-25 might win the AL West, but 36-24 might be the ticket with 60 games left. The Astros will need to improve their pitching and offense to do that, I believe.
The Astros need a MOR starter to replace one of their BOR starters. That will help them until one of their injured starters returns. Even then, I am not sure the Astros are good enough to make it to the WS.
Waiting for Tucker is frustrating as hell!
Watched the opening ceremonies was an act of love from me to my beloved spouse. I grinded through the crap for what seemed like half a day. Celine Dion’s singing was worth it, however, and I have never been a fan. She was the star. Who made the decision to have millions stand outside in a downpour? Big covered stadiums are built for a reason. I imagine LA in 2028 will try its best to outdo Paris at its worst. Where are they going to move all those homeless people? Maybe to Paris?
LikeLike
OP
We were not big into watching the Opening Ceremonies at our house. We started watching the boats and thought it was so much worse than when they were walking in the stadium and you could see more of them.
As a Christian I was very insulted by the parody of the Last Supper in the “entertainment”. We left the telecast, but I did return to watch the section with Celine Dion which I must say was just stunning.
Maybe LA will build a stadium just to hold the homeless.
I keep checking mlbtraderumors looking for news on the Astros and of course there is just rumors at this point. I keep thinking they must add to the pitching staff and assume that Tucker’s return will be the boost to the lineup – but I am rarely correct on these things.
LikeLiked by 2 people
And more rumors that tie to this blog post….
Astros Interested In Flaherty, Kikuchi – MLB Trade Rumors
LikeLike
Haven’t watched a single Oympic event in at least 40 years. So I am just now seeing clips of the disgusting Last Supper blasphemy from the chronically confused demonic scum in Paris.
Paris has long been a filthy, disgusting collection of degenerates, cowards, and communists. Now they have the muslim newcomers, too. If somebody set off a dirty bomb in that city, it would be a civic improvement.
LikeLike
Toronto dominated the Strangers so we have a chance to get another game up on them this evening. Just win, boys. Much less to worry about when you win!
LikeLike
All these ads for gambling (online and otherwise) on MLB broadcasts is really astounding if you stop to think about it.
So you can easily bet on games of any sort of sports in the world (presumably MLB games included) right from the convenience of your laptop. They’re hiring all these millenial “influencers” to make gambling cool.
Nothing at all to be concerned about from a moral standpoint. Just a fun hobby kind of like say….prostitution.
Meanwhile, simultaneously, one of the greatest ballplayers to ever step on the field is banned for life from the HOF because he…..wait for it…….gambled on ball games. When Pete Rose does it, it’s almost a capital offense.
The overwhelming hypocrisy of MLB is disgusting.
Now I’m not saying Rose was a saint or even a nice guy. Personally, I never liked him. But he was a tremendous ballplayer. That’s just a fact. He has earned a spot in Cooperstown and deserves it.
The part that really disgusts me about it is the sure and certain knowledge that if Rose just had a little bit more melatonin in his epidermis, he would already be in the HOF regardless of what he may have done 50 years ago.
Hawk TUAH!
LikeLike
Wow! What a game!
LikeLike
Great game – I’ll write more in the morning
LikeLike
Good morning! Back to the Olympics opening festivities for a second. I still can’t figure out how it was determined the head shaking trash was even considered to be part of the opening ceremony. What dispicable soul and followers dreamed up and were then allowed to execute the production? Hard to fathom. At the Olympics?
Special game by the Astros. We don’t win very often win when down 5-0 zip early. Blanco is weary. It’s showing now. We sure need reinforcements from somewhere. But the pen kept us in the game. Pena has been really solid at the plate since the break. Diaz has been solid since June. And maybe his power is finally showing up. A whole bunch of guys did good things to make this win possible. And then Bregman hit his rare walk off. I don’t like the Dodgers any less than they don’t like us. Too many of their fans watched their loss right there in Minute Maid. Where did they come from? I’m glad they did not get their monies worth. If Arrighetti can somehow keep us in the game early and we can get to the LA pen, the sweep would be sweet.
LikeLike
France has been lost to the communists since before the late 70’s when I was in West Germany. The French are unreliable and untrustworthy. I found them to be horribly dirty, nasty, rude people. An entire population completely unfamiliar with anything relating to personal hygiene.
This is the freak who designed that blasphemy. A real piece of work. https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/paris-olympics-opening-ceremony
The war on Christianity is global and we all know who commands that army.
But I read the book and he does lose in the end. This is not an earthly struggle, Dave.
LikeLike
Great! We’ll also have the opportunity (or not) to see what Jolly has in store for the closing ceremony.
LikeLike
I won’t be watching even one minute of the shit show. No way.
LikeLike
In comparing between the Astros draft tracker list and the Astros official transactions list, I come up with only one unsigned Astros draftee. He is 20th round pick, Ky McGary, a HS outfielder out of California, who was ranked #212 in the nation , but was drafted in the 613th spot because of a commitment to Arizona State.
The Astros signed a number of players under slot so they are probably making a run at him.
LikeLike
Thoughts from last night’s game….
LikeLike
My thought was great, clutch win despite one of the worst at bats of the season by your all star second baseman. Everyone in the stadium knew what was coming on 0-1 and 0-2, and he still flailed out of the strike zone. I’m betting it was in his head to be the win, instead of letting the at bat come to him. Just pressed into oblivion. He has had some clutch at bats for us in way bigger moments than that but Treinen knew right where to pitch him.
LikeLike
I wasn’t going to mention that 8th inning AB.
“I’m betting it was in his head…”
My bet is there’s nothing between Altuve’s ears except space.
“…Treinen knew right where to pitch him.”
Hell, I could’ve struck him out! Just throw it WAY off the plate and the little moron will swing at it…..
He was pitiful.
LikeLike
For all you Ranger fans, Jon Gray was just pulled from the mound during warm ups. The Rangers will have to get 27 outs from their rather maligned bullpen.
Whoops, it’s 3-0 Jays!
LikeLike
So listening to Brown talk out of both sides of his mouth in the b2, I don’t expect to see much from him that will help the team. He says he needs starting pitchers. Duh. Pretty sure we can all see that, Dana.
Then he says Arraghetti and Blanco just need to “suck it up” when TK asked about innings already pitched.
Then he says he doesn’t want to give up position players, either.
This guy sounds like just another DEI idiot. Of which I have very little doubt.
LikeLike
Maybe he’s trying out for the open job with the Secret Cervix……
LikeLike
Just an observation. Six or seven times out of ten that slider/breaking pitch below the zone is a ball. I wished our guys would learn to take that pitch as much as they flail away trying to hit it. A walk ain’t never hurt nobody, especially in a close game.
LikeLike
If wishes were horses, then dreamers would ride.
Personally, I don’t know why any pitcher would ever throw Altuve a strike……
LikeLike
For God’s sake, don’t send Spencer out there again, you stupid son of a………..
LikeLike
This guy King is putting himself in the running for a DFA. Hopefully sooner than later when somebody who can pitch comes back!
LikeLike
Man, Alvarez looks like he’s batting in his sleep. Something is wrong with him.
LikeLike
We’re gonna be down at least 4 runs in the b9 with Monterrible out there pretending to be a pitcher. Dammit!
LikeLike
Just pathetic in every aspect of the game. I really don’t care what Brown does before or after Tuesday. Whatever he does will not be enough to get this lethargic bunch to a World Series.
LikeLike
Good morning!
I hope Spencer Arrighetti gets a chance to start 2025 in Sugar Land. He’s got talent, but really needs time to refine his game.
Jose Altuve keeps getting on base, but his K rate is the highest of his career and his walk rate is his lowest since 2015. Is he thinking 3000 too early?
Joey Loperfido sure is struggling. He had a tough time against the rookie yesterday. He looks to need more AAA time too. Replace him with Tucker and the line up gets much better immediately.
Yainer still leads the club in RBI’s. He’s starting to elevate the ball more now. The .OPS is up to .740. I’d sure take a .300 BA with a .800 OPS by the end of the season. It’s doable. He’s well over that since the beginning of June.
Yordan is hitting .235 with a .773 OPS at home. Why is that?
Blanco is 6 innings from his career max. He still leads all of MLB in hits allowed at 5.5 per nine innings. That’s impressive. But how much longer can he go?
Chas is a mess. For that matter, Jake too. If nothing happens by tomorrow, I’d see if Chas would be willing to visit Sugar Land for a month. And then bring in Leon.
We need Jake B. to throw some zeros tonight in order to have a chance at winning game the opener. That’s a tough ask.
LikeLike
Overall you take a series win against a first place team.
Yesterday’s game was a mixed hat. Arrighetti pitched well until he didn’t pitch well, and that seems to be his season in a nutshell.
Not Blanco’s best outing. Part of me is concerned its slowing for him here in the dog days but he did have 9 K’s and seemed to be missing bats. Maybe it was just a few bad pitches. Good Framber was there even if he scared me a little getting peeved about a missed strike call that was so borderline it probably wasn’t missed.
Must say I’m a little jealous of the Dodgers. I can see why they are still in 1st despite the injuries to their own pitching staff. Guys like Ryan and Stone just show up when you lose a Kershaw and Buehler and have to demote a Miller. Our answers are just not the same. People probably felt the same about us when in 2022 we had two guys in our rotation win 15 and 13 games respectively and pitch a combined 5 innings in the playoffs.
Still quiet on the trade front. Lot of rumored guys that were scheduled to start on Friday/Saturday that still made their starts, suggesting nothing really imminent. Getting Verlander and Tucker back would be great as they are marked improvements over Bloss and the RF cadre, but the closer we get to August the more it wouldn’t surprise me to find Verlander’s “neck stiffness” turn into a season ender. Bloss is the scheduled starter tonight against a Pirates offense that has been, well, politely, inconsistent. But Bloss is the kind of pitcher they will gear up for, a kid probably pitching 2 levels higher than he should be.
LikeLike
Thoughts
OF Kyle Tucker (right shin contusion)
Expected return: August
Tucker was making a push as an early-season MVP candidate when he fouled a ball off his shin June 3 and didn’t play again in the first half, leaving the Astros without a huge bat in their lineup. At the time he went on the IL, he was fourth in OPS in MLB behind Aaron Judge (1.080) and Juan Soto (1.027) of the Yankees and Marcell Ozuna of the Braves (1.000).
Tucker also ranked second in the AL in walks (46) and third in slugging (.584) and was the only qualifying player in the AL with more walks than strikeouts. He is the third player in franchise history with at least 19 homers in the team’s first 59 games. (Last updated: July 26)
LikeLike
“Hopefully we can stay close against Skenes and maybe make hay with their bullpen.”
That’s going to take a patient strategy of forcing Skenes to throw a lot of pitches and getting to their bullpen early. That’s not exactly the reputation of most the 2024 Astros. Not even Bregman anymore.
LikeLike
Was reading a few old posts and this one seemed pretty telling.
The one thing that might derail an eighth straight ALCS appearance for the Astros – ALL THINGS ASTROS (chipalatta.com)
LikeLike
And a shout out to the crawfishboxes for putting our link first today
Astros Crawfish Boil: July 29, 2024 – The Crawfish Boxes
LikeLike
As to the upcoming trade deadline, we already have a diminished minor league system with very few prospects. I’d rather see us rebuild the minors than trade away our future for a one time shot at winning it all. Yes we might get back to the playoffs but I don’t think our chances of winning it all are that good. Yes, I’d like to get back to the playoffs but at the cost of our farm system? We’re not the Yankees with an endless supply of $. Look at Baltimore. They have more than they can count (yes, they followed the Astros model) and have players to trade for even more.
I’m still PO’d at the brain trust (duh?) that went out made some absolutely stupid deals that have hamstrung any current efforts to improve the team. Are we at a win at all costs scenario? I hope not. To paraphrase the political comment, are we kicking the can down the road until the inevitable happens and we become insignificant? I hope not.
LikeLike
It has the makings of a big weekend. The Astros took the series from the Dodgers.
They have a chance to add to their team at the deadline.
They are virtually tied for first in the division and they have enough ammo in the minors to add a couple of players. The players and coaches and the majority of the Astros’s fans would like to see them win the division, go to the playoffs and then win it all. I think they have to go for it and I think they will or they will let down a lot of players and fans that have stuck with the team.
Skenes is tough, but the Astros want to show Baseball that they are up to playoff-like challenges.
LikeLike
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/07/marlins-claim-david-hensley-from-astros.html
Go and have fun, David!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I saw a slow motion tribute/montage to Hensley’s most important AB of his career – where he drew the walk that led to Yordan’s HR in the Mariners series. It was done with some tongue-in-cheek about how important he was in Astros history, but quite seriously it was such a big at bat. It’s not a walk-off without him on base. May he draw many huge walks in his future endeavors.
LikeLike
Looks like Fedde is gone to St Louis as part of a three team deal that includes the Dodgers. Dodgers are getting sending three prospects to the Cubs. Several other players are involved.
Options for the Astros are dwindling. Why do I think Crane is going to reach out and grab Snell from the other guys at the last minute?
LikeLike