The Houston Astros have been a strong team over the past several years, but they may become even more lethal if they can land Daulton Varsho.
The 2022 World Series champs, the Houston Astros, are possibly going to become even better next season as they’re linked to an epic trade with the Diamondbacks for catcher and outfielder Daulton Varsho.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Astros and the Diamondbacks have engaged in trade talks, but “the asking price remains steep.”
That’s understandable considering the Diamondbacks have had limited success, only making the playoffs four times since their World Series win in 2001, and Varsho is one of their best players. They shouldn’t give him up for anything less than what will improve the team in his absence, and if anyone can make a good trade package, it’d be the Astros.
The Astros have several talented players and have undergone some great roster development over the past few years. Prior to their World Series win in 2017, they had only made the playoffs once since their last World Series appearance in 2005. After their 2017 win, they’ve made the playoffs every season and most recently won again.
The Diamondbacks would likely be eyeing talented young starters as they’d set up success for the future, and it comes down to whether or not the Astros would find Varsho worth trading for.
The Astros would likely have to trade young starters and prospects
According to MLB Trade Rumors, “Players like Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier and top prospect Hunter Brown could each be of interest to Arizona GM Mike Hazen and his staff.” Would it be worth it to trade such impactful players?
It’d certainly be tough without them. If they had locked down Justin Verlander, they could likely do without Garcia, but now they need the additional help as Verlander was their best pitcher. Javier would leave a huge hole in the roster regardless, which would be a tricky one to fill with stars rapidly leaving the market.
While Brown has hardly dipped his toes into the majors, he seems promising and could potentially be a solid pitcher in the rotation or the bullpen. If the Astros want Varsho, they could probably land him, but they’ll certainly have to weigh their options and decide what would cause the least amount of damage to the team.