Luhnow looking, but needs are few

Bullpen may receive attention as lineup, rotation return intact

ORLANDO, Fla. — Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow arrived at the annual general managers’ meetings Monday with maybe the fewest holes to fill ahead of 2018.

The Astros are set to return next year their entire World Series-winning lineup as well as their entire rotation. Shoring up a bullpen that proved problematic in the postseason is a focus, but even in their relief corps, the team won’t have mass turnover. Perhaps just an arm or two.

“I think we’re going to be opportunistic if we can improve the team,” Luhnow said at the Waldorf Astoria, site of this week’s meetings. “You can sort of pencil out our lineup already and you can pencil out our rotation and you can sort of start to fill in the bullpen.”

These meetings annually signify the unofficial start to the baseball offseason. Though actual transactions are typically few, GMs and player agents spend parts of three days meeting to discuss their various needs and desires. Often, moves consum-

mated later in the offseason can be traced to negotiations held at the GM meetings.

As of late Monday afternoon, Luhnow and a few of his right-hand men, Brandon Taubman, Kevin Goldstein and Oz Ocampo, had started to meet with teams and some of the agents who represent players in whom they have interest. Meetings will continue through Wednesday.

The Astros’ Aug. 31 trade for ace Justin Verlander eliminated one huge need for this winter. It also added $20 million to the payroll for 2018, which was already set to increase considering the raises (estimated at another $20 million) due to at least eight players through the salary arbitration process. The Astros started 2017 with a payroll of just less than $123 million, ranked 19th based on figures compiled by the Associated Press.

So how much payroll flexibility do the Astros have this winter? When asked Monday, Luhnow naturally didn’t get specific.

“I think we’ve got the ability to do whatever we need to do for the team,” he said. “Because we have so many spots filled, we might not be suitors for some of the big names that are out there. But we’ve got some pretty good players on our team. The needs we’re going to fill are probably going to be more complementary rather than core pieces at this point.”

Although the Astros are highly unlikely to play in the Wade Davis or Greg Holland end of the pool, this year’s free-agent reliever class is a fairly deep one. Lefthanded relief is a deficiency on their roster for a second consecutive winter. Lefthanded options on the free-agent market include Mike Minor, Jake McGee and Tony Watson.

“I think we’ve got some incredible arms in our bullpen. I think ( Joe) Musgrove and (Chris) Devenski and (Ken) Giles and (Will) Harris and others who are going to be back with us next year — (Brad) Peacock, depending upon what role he’s in — they’re going to form the core of a really good bullpen,” Luhnow said.

“Now, does that mean we’re not going to look at ways to improve it? We’re still light on the left side. We will. But I don’t think it’s an emergency situation where we are not going to have a good bullpen. I’m pretty sure we are next year.”