There was a time late final week when it appeared as if Blake Snell would possibly grow to be an Astro. On Friday night, reviews emerged that Houston was making a push for the defending NL Cy Younger winner. Finally, the group balked at paying upwards of $30MM per season, and Snell signed a $62MM guarnatee with the Giants. Bob Nightengale of USA Immediately reviews that the Astros’ provide was for 2 years at lower than $50MM.
Houston common supervisor Dana Brown now tells Chandler Rome of the Athletic that whereas the entrance workplace gained’t rule out including a starter, they’re “not actively doing something” on that entrance. Brown made comparable feedback concerning the group’s consolation with the rotation earlier than their late effort to land Snell, in order that doesn’t rule out a transfer. On the identical time, the GM instructed Snell was one thing of a novel case.
“It’s a special man. If we now have a bunch of fellows which can be just like the opposite guys which can be accessible, why go after them? Why pay extra money for a similar manufacturing? We really feel like if we get Snell, that’s an enormous piece, so you must be available on the market for a man that’s an enormous piece like that,” Brown mentioned. “However the different guys which can be accessible, they examine to all of our guys that we now have depth with. I wouldn’t need to pay extra money and we (already) acquired a man proper across the minimal or slightly bit extra. That wouldn’t be good.”
That’s probably not true of Jordan Montgomery, who’s coming off a 3.20 ERA and has allowed fewer than 4 earned runs per 9 in every of the previous three seasons. Nonetheless, there hasn’t been any indication that Houston has had substantive curiosity within the southpaw at any level this offseason. It’s extra debatable whether or not they’d get an improve from any of the opposite unsigned beginning pitchers, a gaggle led by Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger. But even when somebody like Lorenzen isn’t a marked enchancment over Houston’s in-house starters, there’d be some advantage to bringing in one other pitcher to cowl in opposition to early-season accidents.
The Astros entered camp understanding that Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. wouldn’t be elements till halfway by way of the season. Justin Verlander is a pair weeks delayed as a result of shoulder soreness and can begin the 12 months on the injured listing. That’s now additionally true of José Urquidy, who was recognized with a muscle pressure in his forearm yesterday.
Whereas forearm strains might be precursors to extra critical accidents, Urquidy offered reporters with a optimistic replace this afternoon. The righty mentioned that a number of evaluations indicated his UCL was totally intact and that imaging primarily revealed muscular irritation in his forearm (hyperlink through Brian McTaggart of MLB.com). Urquidy expressed his hope he might start a throwing program inside 10-14 days.
That gained’t maintain him off the injured listing however addresses any concern the group would possibly’ve had about Urquidy probably needing surgical procedure. Brown instructed Rome that the Astros count on Urquidy will likely be out of motion for slightly greater than a month all instructed. Houston’s season-opening beginning workers needs to be led by Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Hunter Brown and J.P. France. Proper-handers Brandon Bielak and Ronel Blanco are the highest choices for the #5 position if the Astros don’t go exterior the group.