Brown never acknowledged as much Sunday, but it would behoove him to approach the next four days with such a reality in mind. Scoring seven runs in a four-game sweep against the cellar-dwelling A\u2019s only accentuated how lean Houston\u2019s lineup is without Paredes or the plethora of other injured position players.<\/p>\n
Losing on Sunday still left the Astros four games up in the American League West and, according to FanGraphs, with a 54.2 percent chance to win the division.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019m really thinking about (the deadline),\u201d Altuve said after the 7-1 loss. \u201cI\u2019m thinking about the guys we have here. The guys that are showing up every day to play the game. We\u2019re still in first place, so we\u2019re going to leave it up to (the front office) and see our guys get healthy at some point and join the club.\u201d<\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez is the most straightforward way to address Paredes\u2019 potential season-long absence and, according to multiple league sources, the Astros have at least checked in with the Arizona Diamondbacks to make their interest known.<\/p>\n
Whether Houston has enough prospect capital to compete with Su\u00e1rez\u2019s slew of other suitors is a legitimate question. Another is perhaps more pertinent: Is Su\u00e1rez even an ideal fit for the Astros\u2019 roster?<\/p>\n
Brown has not hidden the fact that he is searching for a left-handed bat, a stance he reiterated Sunday. Su\u00e1rez hits right-handed and is strikeout-prone, problematic for an offense that \u2014 at full strength \u2014 has no balance and prides itself on putting the ball in play.<\/p>\n
Houston entered Sunday with a 21.1 percent strikeout rate. Major-league average is 21.9 percent. Su\u00e1rez led the American League in strikeouts in both 2022 and 2023 with the Seattle Mariners and would run counter to one of the hallmarks of this Astros offense.<\/p>\n
More concerning, though, is Su\u00e1rez\u2019s defense at third base. According to Baseball Savant, he is worth minus-6 outs above average. Sports Info Solutions says Su\u00e1rez is worth minus-3 defensive runs saved.<\/p>\n
The Astros awoke Sunday with an infield worth 13 outs above average, the second-highest mark in the American League and a byproduct of their intentional offseason.<\/p>\n
Houston convinced Altuve to abandon second base, signed three-time Gold Glove winning first baseman Christian Walker and hired infield coach Tony Perezchica away from the Diamondbacks \u2014 all in an effort to upgrade its infield defense.<\/p>\n
Acquiring Su\u00e1rez could threaten that continuity, though perhaps Perezchica has suggestions on how to make him more serviceable. Perezchica has already received ample praise from team officials about his work with both Paredes and All-Star shortstop Jeremy Pe\u00f1a.<\/p>\n
Make no mistake, though, any team acquiring Su\u00e1rez is doing so for his slug \u2014 something the Astros sorely need.<\/p>\n
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Willi Castro would provide versatility with his ability to play both corner-outfield spots and multiple infield positions. (Matt Krohn \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez may be the sexier name, but Minnesota Twins utilityman Willi Castro is also of interest to the Astros and a far better fit for their roster.<\/p>\n
Castro is a switch hitter with starts at six different defensive positions this season, versatility that would be valued as the Astros\u2019 nine injured position players are activated. Castro has made 26 starts at second base and 25 in left field \u2014 the two most unsettled positions on Houston\u2019s major-league roster.<\/p>\n
Castro entered Sunday slashing .254\/.344\/.425 across 327 plate appearances and without a drastic difference from either side of the plate. He has a .739 OPS hitting left-handed and an .836 mark as a righty, making it more than feasible that he could either form half of a platoon or handle everyday playing time.<\/p>\n
Both Castro and Su\u00e1rez are rentals being sought after by a bevy of contending teams, again inviting wonder if the Astros can win a bidding war against clubs with deeper farm systems.<\/p>\n
Though the Tampa Bay Rays had previously shown no indication of moving left-handed hitting second baseman Brandon Lowe, their pre-deadline freefall could change the calculus. If Lowe becomes available, expect the Astros to be involved, but the pursuit comes with something of a caveat.<\/p>\n
Lowe is on the injured list with a left foot and ankle problem. The optics of a team with 18 players on the injured list trading for a 19th would be, at best, suspect.<\/p>\n
Nick Kurtz awoke Friday morning worth 2.3 wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs. If Kurtz ever fell asleep that night, he did so worth 3.0, offering a modern way to quantify one of the best offensive performances in Major League Baseball history.<\/p>\n