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Mark Appel

Phillies Designate David Buchanan, Jimmy Cordero; Add 11 To 40-Man

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The Phillies announced today that they have designated righties David Buchanan and Jimmy Cordero for assignment. Their departure clears the way for a whopping eleven players to be added to the team’s 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft.

Here’s the full list of players who’ll rise to the Phillies’ MLB roster:

That’s a rather notable volume of 40-man turnover, and represents one of the more dramatic indications of the team’s commitment to developing from within. Philadelphia now has a full 40-man, which will make it tough to add more major league assets this winter without dealing off of the MLB roster or exposing some of these (or other) players to waivers.

Buchanan and Cordero were two early roster casualties as the club cleared the way to protect youthful assets. The 27-year-old Buchanan put up a solid 3.98 ERA in 167 1/3 innings last year at Triple-A, and recorded good results in the majors 2014 before a rough 15-start stint there in 2015, so he could draw outside interest. Cordero, 25, has yet to reach the majors. He failed to repeat a promising 2015 season, which led to his addition to the 40-man last winter.

Mark Appel Out For Season Following Elbow Surgery

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Phillies right-hander Mark Appel underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow and will miss the remainder of the 2016 season, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Appel had already been on the minor league disabled list due to a strain in his right shoulder, but Gelb writes that he incurred the elbow injury that necessitated today’s operation when he began throwing to work his way back from that shoulder issue. The injury comes with a recovery timeline of four to six months.

The Phillies picked up Appel as part of a five-player package from the Astros that sent Ken Giles and Jonathan Arauz to Houston. Appel joined the Phillies alongside Vincent Velasquez, Brett Oberholtzer, Thomas Eshelman and Harold Arauz in that seven-player swap. The former No. 1 overall pick began the season quite well, pitching to a 1.64 ERA through the month of April and posting a solid 19-to-7 K/BB ratio through those 22 innings. However, Appel’s production took declined rapidly beginning in May, and he hasn’t pitched since he surrendered four runs in just two-thirds of an inning on the 22nd of that month. Overall, he’ll finish the season with a 4.46 ERA, 8.0 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9 through the 38 1/3 innings he was able to throw before falling to injury.

Appel hasn’t lived up to the expectations that come with a No. 1 overall pick, but he’s still just 24 years of age (25 next month) and has a fair amount of experience at the Triple-A level under his belt. While Philadelphia will probably monitor his innings in 2017 due to this season’s injury-driven light workload, it’s plausible that he could factor into the Phillies’ plans as soon as next season. Appel, along with Velasquez, Eshelman, Jerad Eickhoff, Zach Eflin, Jake Thompson, Ben Lively, and Nick Pivetta represent a large staple of rotation options that the Phillies have acquired in trades over the past two years (in addition, of course, to right-hander Aaron Nola, who was selected seventh overall in the 2014 draft) as the team stocks up for a hopefully sustainable run of success. Appel currently ranks fourth among Phillies prospects, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo. He entered the season rated third among Phillies prospects on the rankings of ESPN’s Keith Law and seventh among Philadelphia farmhands in the eyes of Baseball America.

NL East Notes: Howard, Harvey, Mets, Prospects

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Ryan Howard’s spot on the Phillies’ roster has been a consistent source of speculation for the past three to four seasons, but despite the fact that he’s having a career-worst year in the final season of his contract, GM Matt Klentak implied in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link) that Howard isn’t in danger of losing that spot. “He’s a threat to change the game with a home run every time he steps in the box,” said Klentak to hosts Jody McDonald and Cliff Floyd. “As long as that’s the case, he’ll be in there.” Howard is batting just .160/.226/.359 in 146 plate appearances, though he does have eight homers on the year.

A couple more from the NL East…

  • Mets assistant GM John Ricco was also a guest on MLB Network Radio recently (audio link), where he discussed Matt Harvey’s status in the rotation. “We have a team that’s built to go to the World Series, and we have to think about what’s best for the team,” said Ricco. “But right now, we believe the best thing for the team is getting Matt back on track, and the best way to do that is to keep him in the big leagues working with [pitching coach] Dan Warthen. We saw some positive signs the other night, in terms of the metrics we look at.” Asked specifically which metrics that statement referenced, Ricco explained that in addition to the traditional eye test from the coaching staff, technology provides quantifiable data on Harvey’s arm angle, arm extension, release point and other mechanically inclined metrics, which give the Mets confidence that he’s making some strides.
  • Newsday’s Marc Carig writes that with the struggles of Kevin Plawecki and injury to Travis d’Arnaud, the Mets could eventually be forced into looking for catching help on the summer trade market. Ricco spoke to Carig and defended both backstops, asserting that both have proven to be above-average offensive players in the past. Plawecki, however, has batted just .210/.282/.288 in 356 big league plate appearances — a far cry from his .262/.318/.392 batting line in 260 Triple-A plate appearances. And d’Arnaud, of course, has consistently struggled to stay off the disabled list throughout his big league tenure. Carig speculates that Jonathan Lucroy would be a strong fit for the Mets, and it’s hard to argue with the logic. Lucroy could even help out at first base in the absence of Lucas Duda, as he has appeared in 43 games there across the past four seasons.
  • Phillies right-hander Mark Appel has been placed on the minor league disabled list with a strained right shoulder, tweets Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Appel, the former No. 1 overall pick acquired by the Phillies in this offseason’s Ken Giles blockbuster, has been experiencing diminished velocity of late, Breen notes. The extent of the injury is unclear, but it appears possible that the shoulder has been bother Appel for a few starts; he’s allowed 15 earned runs in his past 16 1/3 innings after getting off to a nice start with the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate.
  • ESPN’s Keith Law has published an updated list of the game’s Top 25 prospects (Insider subscription required and recommended), and it’s headlined by a pair of NL East prospects: Nationals right-hander Lucas Giolito (No. 1) and Phillies shortstop J.P. Crawford (No. 2). Law provides some insight into each of the 25 names on his ranking and also lists five honorable mentions that narrowly missed the cut.

NL East Notes: Giolito, Henderson, Appel, Toussaint, Newcomb

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If Lucas Giolito isn’t in the majors by June then something has gone wrong, a scout tells Jayson Stark of ESPN, Giolito is the number three prospect in the game per ESPN, Baseball Prospectus, and MLB.com. Giolito features a 98 mph fastball, plus-plus curve, and an above average changeup. Stark and those he’s talked to can’t offer enough praise, throwing around terms like future “superstar” without reservation. The Nationals will hope Giolito can provide the same midseason boost their division rivals enjoyed from Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz last season.

Here’s more from the NL East:

  • Mets non-roster invitee Jim Henderson is battling for one of the final bullpen jobs, writes Glenn Sattell of MLB.com. The former closer has missed most of the last two seasons with a shoulder injury. He’s finally healthy, throwing in the 90s, and turning in solid results. With only a couple spots open to competition, Henderson will face stiff competition. The good news for him is this: if he’s really healthy, somebody will have a job for him.
  • Former first overall pick Mark Appel may be well served by his recent change of scenery, writes Jim Salisbury of Baseball America. Appel, 25, joined the Phillies organization over the offseason as a part of the Ken Giles trade. Despite well-regarded stuff, a straight fastball and command issues have limited his performance to date. The command has continued to be an issue this spring, but perhaps a new coaching staff can help to add a new perspective. My own two cents – the comparison between Appel and former first overall pick Luke Hochevar is an easy one. Hochevar didn’t unlock his talent until he transitioned to relief. Appel may also benefit from such a move, and he could have the necessary stuff to switch back to starting like Carlos Carrasco.
  • A couple Braves trade acquisitions are turning heads, writes J.J. Cooper of Baseball America. Touki Toussaint joined Atlanta as compensation for taking on Bronson Arroyo’s salary. While his stuff continues to impress, command and control issues plague him. He’s described as possessing a quality fastball, curve, and change. Meanwhile, Sean Newcomb has shown better strikeout stuff throughout his minor league career. Acquired in the Andrelton Simmons trade, Newcomb also has a history of shaky command.

East Notes: Moncada, Phillies, Orioles

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Signing with the Red Sox and living in the United States has been a series of surprises for Cuban top prospect Yoan Moncada, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com writes. For example, when Moncada signed, his agent Dave Hastings says he had to explain to his client how taxes worked. “[W]hen he got his check and he knew what he was getting gross because I told him what he was getting. So then the net amount was deposited into his account and he calls my wife up and starts yelling, ’What’s going on?!’ Even though I told him taxes were taken out, he just had no idea,” says Hastings. Moncada has purchased a house down the block from Hastings and his wife, and he’s formed a close bond with them both. Here are a few quick notes from around the East divsions.

  • When the Astros made Mark Appel the top pick in the 2013 draft, the righty was joining the Houston organization with the big-league team in the midst of an 111-loss season. Since then, though, the Astros’ fortunes have changed quickly. Now, Appel sees something similar unfolding with the Phillies, Jim Salisbury writes for Baseball America (subscription only). “This really reminds me of where the Astros were when I got drafted,” Appel said. “I was able to see the turnaround and how quickly it can happen.” If the Phillies do quickly reemerge, it will probably be due in part to recent deals that have returned players like Appel, Vincent Velasquez, Nick Williams, Jake Thompson and Jorge Alfaro.
  • If the Orioles were to sign another free agent who has rejected a qualifying offer, they would lose the No. 14 pick in the upcoming draft. They also have the No. 29 overall pick, for the departure of Wei-Yin Chen; an extra second-round pick, for failing to sign last year’s second-rounder Jonathan Hughes; and a Comp Round B pick. So, theoretically, they could lose the No. 14 overall pick and still have plenty of early-round picks left over. But, as MASNsports.com’s Steve Melewski points out, losing the pick would also cut into their bonus pool, leaving them less flexibility to sign players who might require big bonuses. Right now, the Orioles’ projected pool of $10.6MM ranks sixth in the Majors.

NL Notes: Parity, CarGo, Cubs, Reds, Appel

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The National League has rather a pronounced divide between its better teams and its anticipated bottom-dwellers, ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark writes, and that poses a significant problem. While commissioner Rob Manfred says that the league’s less talented clubs are in a routine phase of the natural winning/rebuilding cycle, some rival executives believe that at least some organizations are looking to strip down their MLB rosters, pursue top draft picks, and aim for a relatively distant competitive timeline. There are a host of interesting quotes, particularly from Manfred, who says that outright tanking efforts would be “self-correcting” in that, “if too many teams try to follow this strategy, the effectiveness of that strategy will be naturally undermined.” The piece is well worth a read.

Here’s the latest out of the N.L.:

  • Rockies GM Jeff Bridich has been in touch with veteran outfielder Carlos Gonzalez to tell him not to pay any heed to trade rumors, as Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports. While that’s hardly any guarantee, multiple rival GMs say they have received the impression that Colorado will not move its most recognizable player this winter, Jon Heyman tweets. Nevertheless, the recent signing of Gerardo Parra still seemingly leaves the club with good cause to move an outfielder. If it isn’t CarGo, of course, then the two obvious candidates would be Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson.
  • Chances are “slim” that the Cubs will make another major addition before the season, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said today, as Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports on Twitter. We’ve heard plenty of suggestions of ways Chicago could look to add yet more impact after an already-busy offseason, but it certainly doesn’t appear as if the club really needs to do anything to its roster at this point.
  • The Reds are still working on various trade scenarios, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (via TwitLonger). Jay Bruce seems the most plausible trade piece, Crasnick indicates, but his market is complicated by Colorado’s trio of possible left-handed bats for sale. And he arguably hasn’t performed to the standard of his rather expensive contract in recent years. “Once you start down this road, it is important to continue with the tough decisions and not pull up in the middle of the project,” said GM Dick Williams. “That being said, we cannot force deals so I cannot guarantee we will do more.’’
  • New Phillies hurler Mark Appel has a lot to prove, Crasnick writes. But the 24-year-old says he is determined and able to live up to his former billing as a top-end pitching prospect.

Reactions To Inclusion Of Mark Appel In Ken Giles Trade

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The Astros and Phillies made the Ken Giles trade official today, but a key component changed sometime between Wednesday and this morning. Outfield prospect Derek Fisher was originally slated to join the Phillies in the swap. He was pulled from the deal and replaced by former number one pick Mark Appel and pitcher Harold Arauz. The Astros also acquired 17-year-old middle infield prospect Jonathan Arauz (no relation).

Here are some reactions to the inclusion of Appel:

  • Baseball America’s Vince Lara-Cinisomo provides a scouting report of Appel, grading his slider and changeup as his best pitches. Appel gets into trouble when he isn’t hitting spots with his offspeed pitches. His delivery and fastball offer little in the way of deception which can allow hitters to get into a groove. His fastball still runs up into the mid-90s, but it isn’t a plus pitch. Some scouts think he’ll stick in the rotation while others see him as a quality setup man. My opinion: Appel could benefit from adding a cut fastball, although that can be easier said than done.
  • Two scouts figure the Astros gave up nearly as much as the Red Sox did for Craig Kimbrel, tweets Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. One fan asked why the Astros didn’t acquire Kimbrel during the season if they were willing to trade so much for a reliever. Per Drellich (tweet), “I believe the way the ALDS progressed gave the Astros fresh perspective.“
  • There were dozens of permutations of the trade, Astros GM Jeff Luhnow told Drellich (Twitter link). This is why the end result is different than earlier reports.
  • Baseball America’s JJ Cooper thinks Appel and Fisher are comparable prospects (on Twitter). Drellich concurs (tweet), saying that Fisher is more likely to reach his ceiling. That seemingly implies that Appel is more likely to reach the majors if they are comparable assets. These are all sentiments with which I agree.
  • The Astros were wise to deal Appel now, opines Buster Olney of ESPN (Twitter). Appel would have faced increased scrutiny if he continued to post mediocre numbers in the Astros farm system. Meanwhile, Drellich and Cooper see Appel as a change of scenery candidate who could benefit from a fresh approach in Philadelphia.

Astros To Acquire Ken Giles

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SATURDAY 12:06pm: The Phillies have announced the trade. However, several components have changed. The Phillies will receive Velasquez, Oberholtzer, Eshelman, Mark Appel, and Harold Arauz. Derek Fisher, who was originally rumored to be headed to Philadelphia, is not part of the trade. The Astros will also receive infielder Jonathan Arauz from the Phillies. Although both are Panamanian prospects, the Arauz’s are not related.

Appel, the number one pick in the 2013 draft, has experienced mixed success in the minors. The 24-year-old reached Triple-A and posted a 4.48 ERA with 8.03 K/9 and 3.69 BB/9. MLB.com ranked Appel as the Astro’s second best prospect between 2015 draft picks Alex Bregman and Daz Cameron. He’s also ranked 43rd overall. His fastball velocity has been inconsistent in the minors, ranging from the low-90s to 98 mph. He also throws a slider and a changeup.

Harold Arauz, 20, pitched in Low-A last season with a 5.75 ERA, 9.06 K/9, and 3.14 BB/9 in 51 innings. Per Baseball America’s Ben Badler, Arauz leans heavily on a low-90s cutter. Badler also commented on Jonathan Arauz. The newly acquired Astro was ranked the 20th best prospect in the Gulf Coast League. The 17-year-old middle infielder was also considered the best Panamanian prospect in the 2014 international market.

In a related move, the Phillies have designated reliever Dan Otero to make room for Velasquez and Oberholtzer on the 40-man roster, tweets Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.

THURSDAY 12:13am: The final player in the deal will be righty Thomas Eshelman, who will head from the Astros to the Phillies, the Houston Chronicle’s Evan Drellich tweets. The 21-year-old Eshelman, a second-round pick this past June out of Cal State Fullerton, pitched just 10 1/3 innings in the Astros organization. Before the draft, MLB.com characterized him as a polished pitcher who could move through the minors quickly but might end up as a back-of-the-rotation type of starter. At the time of the trade, he ranked as the Astros’ 13th-best prospect.

WEDNESDAY 7:52pm: MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki tweets that a fourth player is headed to the Phillies in the deal as well.

7:38pm: The Astros and Phillies are in agreement on a trade that will send right-hander Vincent Velasquez, lefty Brett Oberholtzer and another prospect to Philadelphia in exchange for young closer Ken Giles, reports Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link). Outfielder Derek Fisher will also head to Philadelphia in the deal, Berman clarifies (on Twitter). The trade is pending medical reviews. CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury first broke news that the two sides were nearing an agreement, and he added details along with ESPN’s Jayson Stark as they emerged.

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Giles, who turned 25 in late September, took over as closer in Philadelphia following the trade of Jonathan Papelbon and continued to display the dominance he’s exhibited since breaking into the Majors upon being moved to a more prominent role. In 115 2/3 career innings, the former seventh-round pick has a masterful 1.56 ERA with 11.8 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 44.6 percent ground-ball rate. Giles’ fastball has averaged just a shade under 97 mph in the Majors (96.8), so he’ll satisfy Houston GM Jeff Luhnow’s previously stated interest in adding a hard-throwing arm that the back end of the Astros’ bullpen had been missing.

By adding Giles, the Astros will deepen their bullpen considerably. Luke Gregerson, who performed well as the club’s primary closer in 2015, will return to the setup capacity in which he thrived for much of his career. He’ll be joined there by side-arming Pat Neshek, the quietly excellent Will Harris and Josh Fields in 2016. Houston will still need to address its dearth of left-handed relief options, however, as its two primary southpaws — Tony Sipp and Oliver Perez — both departed as free agents. Perez has since signed with the Nationals, though a reunion with Sipp remains a possibility, as he’s still a free agent and there has reportedly been mutual interest between the parties.

Houston will control Giles through at least the 2020 season if all goes well. With one year, 113 days of Major League service time, Giles will fall shy of Super Two designation and thus will not be arbitration eligible until the 2017-18 offseason. He’ll earn scarcely more than the league minimum in each of the next two seasons (barring an extension), providing Houston with financial flexibility to address needs elsewhere on the roster.

The centerpiece of the deal for the Astros is Velasquez — a 23-year-old righty who entered the 2015 season as a consensus Top 100 prospect and made his big league debut after performing exceptionally well at the Double-A level. Velasquez logged a 1.91 with a 45-to-13 K/BB ratio in 33 innings at Double-A in addition to posting a 4.37 ERA in 55 2/3 innings at the Major League level where he struck out 58 and walked 21. He’ll immediately be in the mix for a rotation spot with the Phillies, though it’s possible that Philadelphia may want to get Velasquez some time at Triple-A, where he has yet to throw so much as a single inning.

While Velasquez may need some additional development before slotting into the Phillies’ rotation on a full-time basis, Oberholtzer should be able to step into the starting five from day one. The 26-year-old has been up and down with the Astros over the past three seasons but has totaled 45 appearances (42 starts) and recorded a solid, if unspectacular 3.94 ERA with 5.9 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and a 38.5 percent ground-ball rate. That ground-ball rate, though, isn’t fully representative of Oberholtzer’s new skill set, as he began using a cutter in 2015 that upped his rate to 48.8 percent in his sample of 34 2/3 big league innings. He’ll give the Phillies an option at the back of their rotation that can be controlled for up to five years — the same as Giles — if he’s able to consistently perform in the Majors.

Fisher, meanwhile, was the 37th overall pick in the 2014 Draft and rated as the No. 8 prospect in a deep Houston farm system, per MLB.com. The Virginia product, whom Baseball America ranked 13th among Houston farmhands entering the season, is said in their scouting report to be a toolsy outfielder with plus-plus raw power that has yet to fully manifest. He draws praise for his bat speed and above-average running, though BA noted that he has a below-average arm and has questionable route-running, so left field is probably his ultimate home.

Still just 21 years old, Fisher split the season between Class-A and Class-A Advanced, hitting .275/.364/.483 with 22 homers and 31 stolen bases before going on to bat .254/.397/.424 in 17 games in the Arizona Fall League. He’s at least a full season away from the Majors and possibly two, but Fisher gives the Phillies a potential everyday outfielder down the line if he can keep hitting the way he did in 2015. MLB.com calls him a potential “impact hitter,” even if he isn’t believed to have a future as a strong defender.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Astros Notes: Gomez, Appel, Fields

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Houston beat Huston today, as the Astros staged an improbable ninth-inning comeback against Angels closer Huston Street.  Brought on to protect a 3-0 lead, Street looked like he was en route to a routine save after he got the first two outs, but the Astros then roared back for five runs.  Jed Lowrie delivered a pinch-hit three-run homer that ended up as the difference in the 5-3 victory.  It was a much-needed win for the Astros, who retained their 1.5-game lead in the AL West over the Rangers just before the two teams meet for a huge four-game series in Arlington beginning Monday.  Here’s some more from Minute Maid Park…

  • Carlos Gomez missed today’s game due to what the team described as left intercostal discomfort and he’s heading to Houston to be examined by team doctors and undergo an MRI (as reported by several Astros beat writers, including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart and the Houston Chronicle’s Evan Drellich).  Gomez will miss Monday’s game with the Rangers though he’s hopeful of not being out for much longer than that.  Gomez’s health, of course, has already made headlines this season when the Mets backed out of an agreed-upon trade to acquire Gomez from the Brewers due to concerns about Gomez’s hip.  More related to stomach muscles, he also underwent an MRI for a possible abductor issue earlier this summer.  The Astros stepped in to acquire Gomez instead, though he hasn’t played up to his usual standards; the outfielder is hitting .234/.282/.379 over 158 PA for Houston.
  • The Astros are succeeding in 2015 and if you told someone two years ago that No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel would not be a part of that upswing, they would have been pretty surprised.  Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle spoke with Appel’s agent, Scott Boras, who says that his client is progressing just fine in the minors.  “You hope each year in a player’s career, they progress and you can certainly say he did that,” Boras said. “He moved to a new level and performed well and I think he feels very confident about coming to camp (in 2016) and competing..Look, every player’s different. He’s a big guy. And … new to pro baseball. But getting control of those limbs, that body takes time — and it takes professional seasoning.” Appel posted a 4.48 ERA with 8.0 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 12 Triple-A starts and a 4.26 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 13 starts at Double-A.
  • Another Boras client, Josh Fields, was the victim of a roster crunch when he was optioned to the minors on August 20 and Boras didn’t hide his frustration over the demotion in his chat with Drellich.  “A lot of organizations are doing that now. It’s hard, it’s hard on [veteran] players, because they have options left because they were successful when they signed and got up to the big leagues right away,” Boras said.  “When teams have roster limits, they choose those guys. So it’s kind of an unfortunate circumstance of an organization with a lot of talent.”  Fields had a 2.20 ERA and 54 strikeouts (to just 15 walks) over 41 innings when he was demoted and was hit hard in his first two outings since being recalled, giving up seven ER in just 1 1/3 innings.

Luhnow, Hinch On Astros’ Roster, Trade Deadline

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Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow finds himself in an unfamiliar position this trade season, as he’s now in the driver’s seat of a club that’s looking to buy, writes Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle. Drellich spoke to both Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch about the club’s roster and the needs they face entering the July 31 trade deadline.

Per Drellich, starting pitching remains a priority, and the team is likely focused on adding a front-line starting pitcher. Luhnow specifically mentioned a desire to strengthen a potential playoff rotation. “I still think if we are fortunate enough to make the playoffs, having a pitcher that can pitch in those first few games of the playoffs will make a difference,” the GM said. He’s made similar remarks in the past, but the stated importance of strengthening the front of his rotation with the trade deadline so near is nevertheless notable. (Of course, I wouldn’t think that Luhnow and the Astros would shy away from adding a fourth or fifth starter type either.) Manager A.J. Hinch also weighed in on the need for a pitcher: “You always feel like an extra pitcher or two would be ideal, and some of that is out of just strengthening a strength, and some of it is not really knowing what’s in store moving forward on a couple different spots on our team.”

Drellich writes that there’s little indication of serious interest in Cole Hamels, but Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija remain names of interest to the Astros. Houston faces competition in acquiring either free-agent-to-be, with a source telling Drellich that other teams vying for Cueto include the Blue Jays, Yankees, Dodgers, Giants and possibly the Royals. Many have speculated that it could be difficult for Luhnow to strike a deal with former colleague Walt Jocketty — the two “butted heads” while working together in St. Louis, Drellich notes — but multiple sources indicated to Drellich that previous transgressions between the two won’t impact the Astros’ chances so long as they make the best offer.

Regarding possible trade chips on the Padres, Drellich feels that Tyson Ross could be too expensive to pry away due to his remaining club control (through 2017), but Andrew Cashner’s one-and-a-half years of control are a more reasonable target. Ultimately, however, he notes that the Astros are expected to land a pure half-season rental.

One potential area of need that hasn’t received much focus for Houston is first base. Luhnow was candid in pointing out that Chris Carter’s production “hasn’t been there” and “it’s frustrating because we know what he’s capable of doing.” Luhnow, though, adds that Carter’s production in 2014 was particularly potent in the second half. The GM doesn’t specifically state it, but it seems like the club may entertain an upgrade at first base if Carter and Jon Singleton stumble out of the gates in the second half. “He hasn’t achieved it yet, and I’m not sure we can wait all year for something to come if it’s not coming,” said Luhnow of Carter’s production. “I believe he will get off to a quick start after the break and give us the production we need.” Drellich adds that Luis Valbuena has been taking grounders at first and could see some time there when Jed Lowrie is healthy.

Adam Lind and Adam LaRoche are oft-speculated first base trade candidates, though Drellich also wonders about a possible match with Yonder Alonso, who doesn’t hit for much power but also rarely strikes out and has a connection to Hinch, who previously worked in the San Diego front office. Michael Morse and Ryan Howard represent more expensive options that, of course, haven’t lived up to their respective contracts.

Houston certainly has the prospects to deal in order to facilitate a trade for a big name, and Drellich, interestingly, writes that the club may be more willing to move right-hander Mark Appel than top outfield prospect Brett Phillips. (Phillips ranked 21st on Baseball America’s midseason Top 50 prospects list, while Appel was 39th.)

The current iteration of the Astros’ front office is indeed in somewhat uncharted water, and they’re currently being challenged by a surging Angels club that moved into first place on the final day of the first half. As things currently stand, the Astros and Twins — perhaps the two most surprising clubs in baseball — would square off in the Wild Card playoff if the season ended today. Based on comments from Luhnow and reported information from Drellich (whose full article should absolutely be read in its entirety), it doesn’t seem like the Astros will take a passive approach and hope that the eventual returns of Lowrie, George Springer and Scott Feldman will be enough to propel them to a division title.

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