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Whether or not the Houston Astros should buy or sell at the deadline should be up for debate. The AL playoff picture is wide open, but after getting swept by the Baltimore Orioles coming out of the All-Star break, the club should have some pause. To the Astros' brass, that doesn't seem to matter.
“We’re focused on making the postseason. That’s the end-all, be-all. We have to make the postseason. Anything other than making the postseason would be a failure, in my opinion,” Dana Brown said via Chander Rome of The Athletic.
What a team says matters much less than what it does, and in this case, Houston's actions prove those words aren't hollow. The Lance McCullers Jr. trade was all about clearing payroll to make room for new additions and still stay below the luxury tax. They may have only saved $2.5 million, but it is something.
The question will be whether or not the Astros will have enough ammo to adequately address all of their pressing needs. It's going to require Brown to get creative, and it won't be easy.
The Astros' words and actions align with buying at the trade deadline, but that's where the hard work begins
The Astros' needs are plentiful. A left-handed-hitting outfielder might be priority number one, but they also could really use at least one starting pitcher and some bullpen help, especially in light of Bryan King's demotion.
Colorado Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak would fit into the budget, though he comes with some red flags, namely his performance outside of Coors Field. From there, things get even harder.
Starting pitching is usually the most expensive commodity on the trade market, and leverage relievers are expected to be in short supply given the lack of expected sellers this season. That is going to mean that Brown will need to be creative and find under-the-radar options who can outperform their name value.
Given the way his pitching gambles from the offseason have performed, it's hard to trust Brown to unearth diamonds in the rough.
The thin farm system is really a hindrance to the strategy that Houston wants to employ, but it doesn't seem like that matters much to the organization. Crane doesn't want to rebuild, and Brown can't afford to if he wants to keep his job.
So it's clear that, barring some sort of catastrophe over the next two weeks, the course has already been set. The Astros are looking to buy and are maneuvering themselves to position themselves in the best possible way to add talent at the trade deadline. Who they get and whether or not they pan out are now the prime questions.
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This article was originally published on climbingtalshill.com as Astros’ trade deadline intentions are abundantly clear after Lance McCullers Jr. trade.
