NEWSLETTER
UPDATE: It definitely sounds like this has legs, and could be in the process of happening.
From multiple reports:
I wonder if today was the final checkpoint:
Oh, also? In between the original report and this evening’s updated stories, the Astros may have lost another starting pitcher (Jose Urquidy left his start with an elbow issue). The urgency undoubtedly ticked up to get a deal over the finish line if it had already been close.
This could happen quickly, so stay tuned. Snell might land one of those shorter-term, opt-out-heavy deals. Better with the Astros than an NL club.
*original post follows*
It wasn’t a complete shocker when the Houston Astros signed top closer Josh Hader earlier this offseason. There were some light rumors in that direction, and everyone knew how many arms the Astros had departing from their bullpen (including, for example, setup man Hector Neris, who signed with the Cubs). Then once it was revealed that Kendall Graveman had to have shoulder surgery, it did feel like a natural time for the Astros to pounce.
That said, the Astros weren’t necessarily the TOP rumored destination for Hader all along. So it did seem to pop up quickly and then just happen.
I wonder if we’re seeing that again:
We know the Astros have serious questions in their rotation, despite a competitive roster. We know Blake Snell needs to sign very soon if he’s going to have a mostly-normal-full-season. We also know the Astros, for all their small-market philosophy, play in one of the largest markets in the country. They can afford Snell.
There is also the fact that, because the Astros already signed Hader, the draft pick cost to signing Snell is now lower (only their third highest pick). Thus, the “cost” to sign Snell is much lower to the Astros than it would be to a luxury-tax-paying large-market team, and a decent bit lower than any other large-market non-tax-payor.
The signing would also keep Snell away from the AL West rival Angels, though who knows what the Angels would do anyway. Are they even going to be that competitive this year? They look considerably worse on paper than they were at midseason last year when they swooned.
This actually makes some sense. And then, if it happens, we wait to see if the AL West Rangers respond by finally getting a deal done with Jordan Montgomery.
