The Astros, looking to lengthen their lineup and get more production out of first base, are among the teams with interest in Rays infielder Isaac Paredes, reports Chandler Rome of The Athletic. As Rome explains, the bottom third of Houston’s lineup has produced a disastrous .254 OBP since Kyle Tucker went on the injured list 40 games ago, shortening the lineup and leaving a lot of pressure on the top of the batting order.
Paredes is a natural fit for the Astros, though between his affordable $3.4MM salary, his three additional years of club control, his defensive versatility and this year’s .250/.352/.445 slash, he’d fit on the majority of contenders around the league. Paredes has been Tampa Bay’s primary third baseman this season, but he has considerable experience at both second base and first base as well, and he’s even played 50 innings of shortstop in the majors. He’s probably not cut out for long-term shortstop work, but Statcast feels he’s been average or better at each of the three other infield spots.
Among the 148 qualified hitters in MLB this season, only one has a higher pull rate than Paredes: Houston’s own Jose Altuve. That pull-happy approach from a righty power bat like Paredes makes the Astros’ Minute Maid Park — and the short left field porch in the Crawford Boxes — a particularly interesting fit. Paredes popped 31 homers last season and has 16 so far in 2024.
The Astros have gotten virtually nothing out of first base this season. Jose Abreu was released in the second season of an ill-fated three-year contract. Jon Singleton has been the primary option since. He’s hitting .230/.321/.345 on the season. That’s seven percent worse than league-average, by measure of wRC+, at a position where above-average offense is typically expected. Singleton also grades as a poor first base defender and poor baserunner.
Swapping Singleton out for Paredes and then pairing him with Tucker’s eventual return could have a transformative impact on the Houston lineup. The benefits of adding Paredes would be further reaching in the long-term, too. Alex Bregman is slated to become a free agent this offseason, and while the Astros figure to be part of his offseason market, he’s hardly a guarantee to re-sign. Keeping Bregman could require a longer and more lucrative contract than the ’Stros have given out to anyone under owner Jim Crane; Yordan Alvarez’s six-year, $115MM deal is the longest contract issued under Crane, while Altuve’s 2018 extension that guaranteed him $151MM in new money is the largest guarantee. If Bregman doesn’t stay in Houston, Paredes could shift across the diamond to third base in 2025.
For all the reasons just listed, however, Paredes will be extremely expensive to acquire — at least in terms of prospects/young talent. Any of the Yankees, Dodgers, Mariners and Red Sox (among others) stand as obvious fits and suitors for him. The market will be competitive. And, since Paredes is controllable through the 2027 season and should earn under $10MM next season in arbitration, the Rays likely don’t feel a need to move him. They’ll listen, as they do on all of their players, but it’ll take a genuinely compelling offer to pry three-plus years of one of the game’s most underrated infielders from their grasp.
That said, the Rays have sufficient infield depth to withstand the loss of Paredes. Third baseman Junior Caminero ranks as one of the sport’s top five prospects and is ready for a look in the majors. Caminero’s presence alone doesn’t make Paredes expendable — he could easily move to another infield position or just bounce between multiple slots on a regular basis — but having a ready-made replacement does make it a bit easier to move him than if the cupboard behind him were bare. Other, more expensive veterans on the Rays (e.g. Zach Eflin, Randy Arozarena) seem likelier to move between now and next Tuesday’s deadline, but Paredes should draw heavy interest in his own right and likely could be had with a substantial enough offer.
Give the Astros credit in one respect: they’re usually willing to risk prospects for a chance to win now.
That’s what has separated them from the Mariners over the past few years. We’ve been within striking distance but our moves always suck. Meanwhile, they get what they need, when they need it.
Because their township wants to win. The Mariners ownership just wants to make more profit for billionaires. #disgusting
“We are operating under budget constraints”
So chop upper management, chop those bonuses and create room in the budget.
Otherwise. You’re in the wrong field. Go run an oil company. This is professional sports; it takes intense financial dedication in order to be successful.
Seriously. What kind of loser gets into a business of “winning,” only to put limits on how much you’re willing to spend in order to win? Why did you buy the team? Go join the Boeing board.
They bought the team because it is profitable in the short term and will accrue tremendous value over time.
How dare you bring logic into my emotional rant?!
Is Kyle Tucker still alive??? He fouled a ball off his shin 2 months ago and has never been seen or heard from again.
They were just talking about how there’s no update on his status when we played them this past weekend.
Right! Dude has gone missing lol.
The Dodgers and Yankees will be trying to get Paredes.
Lol, the yankees can try all they want
All you teams better stay away from Arozarena and Paredes! Any other Rays are fine, but those 2 are actually good guys who are going to be worth more than whatever prospect package a team can come up with. Arozarena might be not having a good season, but he’s a streaky hitter and is nonsense in the playoffs. Only way I want to see one of these guys go is if it puts a team over the top and helps them eliminate the Bankee$
Everybody wants a nonsense player for the playoffs.
Everybody wants the Bankee$ eliminated. And that’s not nonsense.
I’m intrigued now. How silly is he?
The Bankee$? What is this the late 90s? Plenty of teams spend a ton of money on their baseball roster…
Not a Yankees fan either.
The Dodger$, Padre$, and Met$ are starting to get right up there with them. I’ve just been a bitter Rays/Tiger fan/Yankee hater since I first started following baseball in the early ‘90’s, so thus the anti-Yankee sentiment.
Karensjer
I understand the sentiment. George ran the show and always opened up the pocketbook for whatever player he wanted and the rest of us were left holding the bag.
If it makes you feel better, Yankees have been trying to emulate the Rays and it hasn’t gone quite like they wanted lol
Red Sox too. Now all the spenders wanna play cheap but without the resources the Rays have. To be honest I’d switch team styles instantly because it at least makes things more exciting when you know your team owner is willing to spend the big bucks. The only team not trying to emulate the Rays is ironically the Dodgers who can and will spend ad nauseum
No way the trashtros have enough minor leagues capital to get Parades
This is the biggest issue, yeah. Paredes is a natural fit as outlined above, and something I highlighted over a month ago elsewhere. It would need to be a three-team trade with many moving parts, and it’s hard to envision the Astros making anyone feel whole. Especially, if TB was to throw in Eflin to address Houston’s biggest need. Hard to see that happening. Minnesota can provide Emmanuel Rodriguez in return for a package like that, but has less of a need if guys can get (and STAY) back. The Padres could feature Ethan Salas as a primary and a guy like Graham Pauley for the Eflin+Paredes package and have the demand, but it would be one of the worst parks for Isaac’s skillset. It’s lining up as one of those situations where the demand is so justifiably high that no team will be willing to pay the required price. As such, it seems much more likely that Eflin and Yandy Díaz are the guys that get moved and each of the teams mentioned should have interest at a level more commensurate with what they are willing to give up.
No way the Pads move Salas. The Rays need a catcher though…I always wondered if the M’s would be willing to part with Ford. But agree, Astros don’t have what the Rays want or need.
I think the Mariners and the rays match up perfectly they’ve made a lot of deals between each other and I think they would be open to moving Ford and something else to get Parades
Ford probably gets you Yandy, but I don’t think he’s enough for Isaac. The power dip this year is concerning, but ARL and demands of position deserve consideration so it’s possible I’m lower on him and he gets you most of the way there. TB should be prioritizing catcher and/or CF in their returns so something like Ford and Clase/Farmelo might be of interest. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jason Adam or Pete Fairbanks were made available to sweeten the pot, too. TB is only a game back of Seattle now, but clock is ticking, and a few more to get to who matters. Chance these teams stand pat, but both seem poised to wheel and deal and possibly in both directions simultaneously.
Ford/Canzone for Parades/ Adam
It’s possible, but Canzone doesn’t do a lot for me, personally. I think if Isaac is moved and a good reliever included it’s going to have to hurt.
Yeah, no. I’m thinking Brash, Ford and Celesten for Paredes.
That doesn’t get the Mariners half way to Paredes alone, let alone Paredes and Adam. Paredes is a 4-5 Win player making $3MMish and under control for 3.5 years. One top 100 prospect and a replacement level player ain’t gonna cut it. Not even close.
Yeah I’ll admit we’ll have to give them Ford Celestin Canzone for Parades
You should stop calling them that. It shows how weak and pathetic you are.
Cheating is weak and pathetic.
Crying for years over something you can’t control is weak and pathetic as well. But here we are.
But aren’t Astros fans “crying” about being called names? The players cheated; they have to wear the scarlet letter.
Was it weak and pathetic when the Yankees and Red Sox ran the same schemes minus the obviousness of banging a garbage can? Is using an Apple watch to send vibes somehow not cheating?
I just can’t see the Astros’ best offer being good enough to move Paredes. Even if they offered their top 5 prospects. They just have such a weak system. Would they consider trading existing ML players?
Seaver – Rays don’t trade their players to the Yankees, so you don’t need to worry about it.
If the Rays trade Paredes, I have to believe the two most likely destinations are Seattle and the Dodgers. Both have the kind of Farms that would interest the Rays and they have a real need for a player of Paredes’ caliber. I doubt the Rays move him though. Maybe Aroz and definitely Eflin, Rosario and one or both of Adam and Fairbanks.
The only way that the Astros could pull it off is if the Rays didn’t want to trade in their division, and no one else offered an above average package. Astros farm is getting much better, but they only have 2 of the top 100 prospects currently. It will take another year or two to recover from losing prospects for those years.
So many people thought that their punishment wasn’t enough, but that loss of draft capital hurt them significantly in the long run.
but the Rays don’t *need* to trade Paredes. They will if the package is right, but they are not going to dump a guy with that much control and that low of a contract for the sake of doing it.
Very much, this.
Rays will just hold on to Paredes if the offers aren’t there. He’s not even making $4MM and he’s putting up 4-5 Wins per year. Folks who think the Rays are definitely moving him are ignoring the obvious. The Rays don’t have to trade him. He’s under control for 3 years beyond this year.
A very rational answer that I believe will hold true. Paredes stays with the Rays. Dodgers need pitching help more than ever so they’ll be busy in the pitching market and I doubt they give the Rays anything they see as valuable enough. Astros have a weak minor league system. Red Sox and Yankees are in the division, so that’s not gonna happen. I really think the Mariners (The Ray’s favorite, albeit unproductive trade friend) could end up with Paredes.
The Cubs should be all over Paredes given their need of a third baseman and the lack of a true impact bat in their farm system. Sure Caissie might develop into a middle of the order bat but only has 8 home runs in AAA, Shaw is a solid prospect but not a middle of the order hitter. Same is true for any of their top guys.
“. . . lack of a true impact bat in their farm system “.
20 year old Moises Ballesteros disagrees with your opinion. As do a whole lot of baseball people.
Ok dras, now redefine your comment, as I expect you will. And yes, I do realize Ballesteros is positionally limited.
Ballesteros is 5’7 and is rocking an ops just over .850 in AAA. He doesn’t profile as a true impact bat and I don’t know which baseball people you are referring to that disagree.
Maybe you just have a different definition of “impact bat”. I believe impact bat means that you can built a line up around that player, who’s going to hit 30 home runs and drive in 100.
Package around Luis Baez or Brice Matthews would have to be where the discussion starts right?
Lordy… Folks really have no clue how valuable Paredes is. He’s a 4-5 Win player making less than $4MM this year and under control for 4 post-seasons. Baez and Mathews aren’t even Top 100 prospects. To think only one of them is where the discussion starts shows how unrealistic you’re being. Try all 5 of Houston’s top prospects to get the conversation started.
The only way he’s getting traded is if he gets a massive payday in arbitration or the Rays analytics team finds something wrong with him or his trending data and need to move him ASAP.
I disagree with this. The Rays have multiple top prospects coming up at 3B and Paredes could return a huge package of players at positions of need. Rays aren’t moving him without it being a great trade package though.
@mp2891
We’ll agree to disagree.
LOL. Fair enough. Of course, we could both be right. Paredes’ underlying stats have never looked good to analytical evaluators, so you’ll be able to claim you were right whenever he is traded.
The best return Tampa Bay can hope for is a ParaDEEZ NUTS!
Such as small package won’t get Paredes…
Save some postage and place them in an envelope.
Houston doesn’t have prospect capital to trade for much.
While I agree Paredes will likely get a nice haul for the Rays, I’d say he’s slightly overrated here – his stats over the past month or so have been Singleton-esque (likely partially due to trade rumours getting in his head). His track record still is fairly short & I think his physique is going to make him a FT 1B/DH sooner than later. That being said I’d like to see him come out west to my M’s or the Astros; don’t know if they have the pieces/ ambitions to meet TB’s demand tho
Fine by me to get him out of the AL East as Paredes is usually a Red Sox killer
Adams; you’re a terrible writer. There should be NO comma before “too” or after “and,” when it’s used to start a sentence. Basic stuff here.