Jed Lowrie (8) is the Astros new shortstop. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
Few would describe the offseason moves orchestrated by Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow as earth-shattering, but given the team’s steady climb from rebuilding to contention orchestrated by the front office, the sensible acquisitions made by the Astros were nevertheless noteworthy.
By signing shortstop Jed Lowrie and trading for third baseman Luis Valbuena and left fielder/designated hitter Evan Gattis, Luhnow addressed three positions where the Astros underperformed in 2014.
Lowrie, even with his subpar defense, represents an upgrade after the Astros cobbled together production that was 7 percent below league average at shortstop. The Astros were even worse at third and first base, posting wRC+ of 69 and 71 that ranked dead last in the American League.
Valbuena hit .405 and posted a 1.113 OPS through his first 15 games in the Grapefruit League, prompting the demotion of incumbent Matt Dominguez to Triple-A Fresno. Gattis, who will likely earn a large share of at-bats as the designated hitter, shifts slugger Chris Carter to first base, which in turn probably nudges Jon Singleton to the minors where he can perhaps reclaim his confidence after a brutal rookie season (.168 average with 134 strikeouts in 362 plate appearances).
“One of our goals this offseason was to give ourselves more options, and our infield production last season with the exception of (second baseman Jose) Altuve was below what we really needed it to compete in this division,” Luhnow said. “We went out and addressed upgrades at shortstop and options at third base and first base and we’re seeing the results of that.”
Carter and Gattis slugged .645 and .654, respectively, through the final full weekend in Florida, cementing hopes that having those two working in tandem will overwhelm opposing pitching staffs. Add to their presence slugging right fielder George Springer, who hit 20 home runs over 78 games during an injury-shortened rookie year, and the Astros appear stacked.
“That’s the biggest thing for us this year — not being able to pitch around a guy,” Carter said.
While the lineup and bullpen have been bolstered by additions (right-handers Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek join the fray as accomplished late-inning relievers), the Astros’ rotation remains a question mark.
The club will lean heavily on a pair of pitchers — left-hander Dallas Keuchel and right-hander Collin McHugh — who enjoyed surprising breakthroughs in 2014. Veteran right-hander Scott Feldman scuffled during spring training while left-hander Brett Oberholtzer dealt with nagging injuries. Another veteran right-hander, Roberto Hernandez, made the club as a non-roster invitee, meaning the Astros aren’t as deep in starters as they might be elsewhere. How they mitigate those concerns might reflect just how far up the AL West standings the Astros can climb following their promising 19-game improvement from 2013 through last season.
“You need seven, eight, nine starters throughout the year,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “Very rarely do you go through a season with just five. By the time we show up at Minute Maid (Park) and we face the (Cleveland) Indians and then the second series against the (Texas) Rangers, we’ll have picked the guy we’re going to start with.”
ROSTER REPORT
ROTATION
1. LHP Dallas Keuchel
2. RHP Scott Feldman
3. RHP Collin McHugh
4. LHP Brett Oberholtzer
5. RHP Roberto Hernandez
The Astros appear set to give the veteran Hernandez the final spot in their rotation despite the strong spring performance of rookie right-hander Asher Wojciechowski. Because the Astros are due to pay Hernandez a $100,000 retention bonus if they don’t decide to keep him by March 31, and because Wojciechowski has options remaining and has never pitched in the majors, Hernandez is in and Wojciechowski will have to wait his turn despite posting a 1.08 ERA and 0.96 WHIP over 16 2/3 innings while limiting opposing batters to a .197 average.
Keuchel is entrenched as the staff ace and the Astros are hopeful that he and McHugh can repeat their surprising success from last season. Feldman has scuffled this spring (8.76 ERA, 2.11 WHIP) but there is little concern that his troubles will linger. Oberholtzer is trending toward better health and a roster spot after battling nagging injuries.
How things shake out injury-wise with Oberholtzer and right-hander Brad Peacock, who made his spring debut Sunday following offseason hip surgery, will directly impact Wojciechowski. Peacock is likely to start the season on the disabled list but his return is probably imminent.
BULLPEN
RHP Chad Qualls (closer)
RHP Luke Gregerson
RHP Pat Neshek
RHP Samuel Deduno
RHP Will Harris
LHP Tony Sipp
LHP Joe Thatcher
A couple slots in the bullpen remain in flux based upon the health of right-hander Josh Fields, who was slowed by injuries to both legs this spring. Whenever Fields returns, his spot is guaranteed, meaning the club will have to make a decision on leaving Sipp as the lone left-hander or choosing Thatcher over Harris. Sipp is a lock, as is Deduno, who will serve as the long man.
The signings of Gregerson and Neshek position the Astros to greatly improve upon their league-worst 4.80 bullpen ERA from 2014. Not only are Gregerson and Neshek reliable arms in a set-up role, both appear capable of filling the closer void should Qualls regress. Fields also flashed some high-leverage potential a season ago, giving the Astros a number of options should they choose to change course during the summer.
LINEUP
1. 2B Jose Altuve
2. RF George Springer
3. 3B Luis Valbuena
4. 1B Chris Carter
5. SS Jed Lowrie
6. DH Evan Gattis
7. C Jason Castro
8. LF Colby Rasmus
9. CF Jake Marisnick
There is no quintessential leadoff candidate available, but to suggest that the Astros are settling on Altuve is a stretch. While Altuve walked in only 5.1 percent of his plate appearances en route to the 2014 American League batting crown, he did post a .331/.363/.444 slash line over 358 plate appearances batting first. He gets on base often enough by wielding his bat to set the table for the Astros’ collection of sluggers.
Sandwiching Springer, who bashed 20 home runs in just 78 games as a rookie, between Altuve and Valbuena, whose 114 OPS+ with the Chicago Cubs last season represented a career high, seems logical. With Altuve aboard and a dangerous heart of the order following Valbuena, Springer should get a steady dose of fastballs. How Astros manager A.J. Hinch clusters Carter and Gattis will be interesting because both have 30-homer potential. Sliding the switch-hitting Lowrie between those two right-handers might lessen the potential for rally-killing strikeouts.
Castro slugged .529 through his first 13 games during spring training, leaving the Astros hopeful that he can return to form from his All-Star season in 2013 (130 OPS+) and turn the page on his nightmarish 2014 campaign (83 OPS+). Rasmus provides additional thump near the bottom of the order while Marisnick possesses leadoff-hitter qualities.
RESERVES
C Hank Conger
IF Marwin Gonzalez
OF Robbie Grossman
IF Jonathan Villar
Conger, Gonzalez, Grossman, and Villar have one thing in common: They’re switch-hitters. Given the boom-and-bust potential of the everyday lineup, the Astros would be wise to stash some versatility on their bench, both at the plate and in the field.
Grossman logged 67 games in left, 31 in right and six in center field last season so his capability with the glove is without question. He was hitting .349/.408/.465 through the final weekend in the Grapefruit League, essentially forcing the Astros’ hand in the battle for the fourth outfield spot that also included veteran Alex Presley and L.J. Hoes.
Gonzalez was a valuable asset as a utility infielder last season, and while Villar has showcased maddening consistency and maturity issues, he provides the club more flexibility in the present when compared to first baseman Jon Singleton, who slumped down the stretch during spring training (17 strikeouts in 17 games through the final weekend in Florida) and needs more seasoning following an awful rookie season.
MEDICAL WATCH
–RHP Josh Fields (right groin strain) is in danger of starting the season on the disabled list. Fields, who was slowed earlier in spring training with a sore left hamstring, had yet to throw off a mound since suffering the groin injury on March 23. Fields is considered a lock to make the roster, and the Astros are poised to take their time working Fields back into form so that he can be available for duty whenever he returns.
–LHP Brett Oberholtzer made his final Grapefruit League start on March 30 against the Toronto Blue Jays. Oberholtzer was shut down in mid-March after suffering a lat strain on March 10. He pitched three innings in a minor league game last Wednesday and is poised to make one final appearance before the Astros open the regular season on April 6.
–RHP Brad Peacock made his spring training debut on March 29 against the New York Yankees, allowing four runs (three runs) on two hits and two walks while recording two outs (both via strikeout). Peacock underwent right hip surgery last October and will likely open the season on the disabled list as he attempts to build arm strength. Peacock worked as a starter and out of the bullpen for the Astros last season.
