Fisher or free agent? That’s the LF question
Preferred use of Gonzalez lies in his keeping super utility role
ORLANDO, Fla. — In the 2017 playoffs, Marwin Gonzalez became the Astros’ everyday left fielder as away to optimize the lineup with the team’s best nine bats. He will not resume that role next regular season.
Gonzalez is most valuable to the Astros when manager A.J. Hinch can move him all over the field. His versatility eases Hinch’s ability to sprinkle in enough rest days for second baseman Jose Altuve, shortstop Carlos Correa, third baseman Alex Bregman and first base man Yu li Gurriel to keep everyone fresh for October.
Therefore, left field is the position most in flux this offseason for the World Series champions. Jake Marisnick will factor into their outfield, but the Astros could acquire via free agency or a trade a lefthanded or switch-hitting platoon partner to occupy the role Nori Aoki filled during the first half of last season. They could also turn that role over to Derek Fisher. Major league dropoff
Much depends on whether the Astros view the 24-year-old Fisher as ready to play regularly in the majors. His first-half surge in Class AAA suggested so. His excessive swing-and-miss rate in 166 major league plate appearances suggested he requires more seasoning.
Fisher, who exhausted his rookie status in 2017, batted just .212 with a .663 on-base plus slugging percentage for the Astros, as opposed to his .318 average and .967 OPS in the Pacific Coast League this year. Major league pitchers exploited the lefty with high fastballs. With the Astros, he struck out in an alarming 32.5 percent of his plate appearances.
Speaking to the Chronicle this week at Orlando’s Waldorf Astoria, site of the annual general managers meetings that ended Wednesday, Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said he believes Fisher is ready but also didn’t rule out the team considering a left fielder in free agency. He also mentioned the lefthanded-hitting Tony Kemp as one in a combination of players who could be an option to contribute at the position.
“Everybody goes through struggles their first year. Bregman did. We’ve seen other players do it. I think he’s ready,” Luhnow said of Fisher. “He had some good at-bats for us and struggled a little bit and lost his playing time. Once you lose your playing time, it’s really hard to get back in a groove.
“But I think his tools are loud, and he showed that he can put them all together this year with how he played in the minors. So to me, I think he’s ready. But we’ll have to see what happens in spring training and howhe looks.”
If the Astros decide to acquire a platoon left fielder, it would likely be on a shortterm deal as a stopgap for Fisher or top prospect Kyle Tucker, who could debut in the majors as soon as the 2018 season. Free agents like Melky Cabrera, who switch-hits, or Jon Jay, who bats from the left side, fit the mold of the player the Astros could seek for that type of role.
But with Gonzalez as insurance in left field, it’s possible some of the salary the Astros would spend on a free-agent outfielder might be better allocated on bolstering the bullpen.
“Does plugging someone in make us better? That’s a determination we’re going to need to make,” Luhnow said of left field. Tucker on horizon
Tucker, who turns 21 in January, will probably begin next year in Class AA, where he spent the second half of this past season. In his first exposure to the Texas League, he batted .265 with an .837 OPS in 317 plate appearances.
The Astros have been known to push their elite prospects aggressively. But they also will want to be sure Tucker is ready to contribute regularly before a promotion to the majors. He’s currently gaining experience in the prospectladen Arizona Fall League. But coming into Wednesday, he was batting just .213 with a .608 OPS in 80 atbats in the desert.
“He’s definitely getting closer. I don’t know what his time frame is. Butwhen he shows up, he’s going to be an everyday player,” Luhnow said. “So we need to be prepared for that. But that’s a good issue for us to be grappling with.”
Ultimately, the Astros can’t bank on a contribution from the still-developing Tucker in 2018. Whether Fisher is ready to occupy a regular role is the more pressing question.