The August MLB Waiver Trade Deadline has come and gone, just like that. As the calendar flipped to September, those who made moves for players are reaping the benefits. For the Astros, it was pretty quiet on their end, as they did not pick up any key role players. Were they content with what they had, or was nothing working out for them?
Yes, the team has have won six games in a row, making any worries seem silly. While some may not see it as a big deal, they may end up regretting it. As the old saying goes, there is no rest for the weary.
As the world’s second-leading authority on waiting too long (the first being Captain America), this author can say the Astros may have just not given any players any thought until at least the last hour. With the addition of Roberto Osuna, the Astros were able to bolster their bullpen. What about a long reliever? How about a few bench players? There were a lot of options for the Astros to choose from, but they did not budge.
Gio Gonzalez was easily available before the Brewers swooped in and grabbed him. While his stats with the Nationals this year don’t sound sexy (7-11, 4.57 ERA, 126 strikeouts and 70 walks), his durability is what is most important. Since 2010, Gio has averaged 31 starts, making them as reliable as they come. The Astros are currently one of the only teams to not require various mixed starters throughout the season. That could tire out many important arms, like Charlie Morton.
With Gio, the Astros would have a stopper that could be used to rest the big guns like Justin Verlander and Morton. A move to a true contender would be a welcoming site for Gio, and a return to the American League could be even more refreshing.
And what of their lineup? Surely the team’s everyday players could use a break or two, correct? The answer is yes, especially when a majority of said players have hit the disabled list. Since coming back from the DL, Jose Altuve has a .233/.313/.350 slash line in his last 15 games. Alex Bergman is picking up the slack of players like Carlos Correa, who is hitting.148 in his last seven games. A guy like Logan Forsythe, who while is struggling as of late (231/.333/.269 in his last seven games), was someone who was highly thought of before the trade deadline.
Someone they also missed out on was a veteran in Curtis Granderson. The Brewers continued their baseball purge by picking him up from the Blue Jays, and all he has done since the move is produce. In his last seven games, Granderson is hitting an absurd slash line of .571/.727/1.000. While he is being used as a role player, his at-bats and veteran leadership could have been valuable to a young Astros team.
While everything seems to be fine, one can’t help but wonder if the Astros are starting to worry. The regular season is nothing compared to the postseason, where everything goes out the window. If any team should know that, it is the World Series Champions.
Will the Astros regret not being aggressive towards the end of the season? We will have to tune in to find out.
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