Search for bats focused on outfield, DH
LAS VEGAS — Though considerable attention is focused on the Astros’ starting rotation and how it will replace the 500 innings lost to free agency or injury, general manager Jeff Luhnow is still hunting for offense at the Winter Meetings.
Though no deal appears imminent before Houston’s contingent departs Las Vegas on Thursday, Luhnow said the focus is unsurprisingly at designated hitter and left field.
Luhnow said Wednesday the club has had catcher conversations during their three days at the Mandalay Bay, but the addition of Robinson Chirinos ona free-agent deal somewhat tempered the need.
Though he struggled during the postseason, Tyler White carried designated hitter duties for most of the second half of last season and represents a “bat who can slot right in” if no acquisition is made. Tony Kemp isa viable option, too.
“Where we can, if we can make a meaningful improvement, we’re going to pursue it,” Luhnow said.
The search for an outfielder does not signify any lost confidence in Kyle Tucker, the organization’s No. 1 position player prospect who endured an unflattering major league debut last season.
Tucker told the Chronicle on Monday he was “in awe” of some aspects in the major leagues and didn’t always adhere to the pregame preparation required to succeed.
Luhnow referenced those comments while meeting with reporters as a sign of growth for the 21-year-old lefthanded hitter who could be the long-term answer in left field.
“What’s more important is not we learned about Kyle Tucker, it’s what he learned about what it takes to be successful in the big leagues,” Luhnow said. “I know his teammates were trying to really bring him along and show him the routines and show him what it takes to succeed up here. I hope he models his work after the way they do it because they’re all talented, but they have to work really hard to stay at their levels.”
Still, Luhnow acknowledged a desire for a veteran bat to provide depth or a proven fallback. The Astros have been linked to free agent Michael Brantley, who would command a multiyear deal.
“If you end up with an extra outfielder and they’re all playing well that’s actually a good position to be in,” Luhnow said. “There is a market for outfielders, so I’d rather just make sure we have enough high-quality bats and then figure out if we have an excess, how to deal with it.”
“At this point, if we have expectations of repeating as division champions and hopefully doing damage in the postseason, we don’t want to necessarily count on a rookie to produce at the level we’re going to need.”
Hinch plans to test Diaz’s versatility
Aledmys Diaz will need a few more gloves.
Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday he will play Diaz, whom Houston acquired in a trade with Toronto last month, at all four infield positions along with left field in spring training .
“He’s got to get a glove for everything. He knows that,” Hinch said. “He’s done a little bit of that. Maybe first base the least, or not at all. But might as well try it out.”
The Astros acquired the versatile former Blue Jay last month to brace for the likely departure of free agent Marwin Gonzalez — Houston’s do-everything utilityman whose skill set is almost irreplaceable.
Diaz has never started a major league game anywhere but shortstop or third base. The Astros, obviously, possess two players there who will not be usurped.
Therefore, Diaz will be relied upon to fill in on days when either Alex Bregman or Carlos
Correa are off or serve as a designated hitter.
A righthanded hitter who smacked a career-high 18 home runs last season, Diaz is a conceivable option to start in left field against lefthanded pitching, especially if both Kyle Tucker and Tony Kemp — each lefthanded hitters — make the roster.
“We’ll mix and match him,” Hinch said. “I told him the day we got him that it was important for him to have that versatility. He grades out at A-plus across the board when it comes to willingness to do whatever it takes.”
“He’s going to get a lot of atbats and he’s going to play around the field.”
Luhnow OK with reliever options
Adding a lefthanded reliever during the offseason is “not at the top of our wish list right now,” Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said Wednesday at the Winter Meetings. Tony Sipp’s departure into free agency leaves Houston with a returning bullpen of all righthanders. Luhnow acknowledged the organization has at least broached the subject of available lefthanded relievers.
“We like our bullpen,” he added, “and we think we can get everybody out that we need to get out.”
If the Astros do decide to break spring training with a southpaw in their bullpen, two internal options exist — Framber
Valdez and Cionel Perez. Both pitchers will be initially stretched out as starters in spring training, Luhnow said, before the club makes a decision about their roles.
Both prospects were given brief exposure to the major leagues this season. Valdez started five of the eight games in which he appeared and entered another in the second inning.
Perez, the pint-sized, hardthrowing Cuban, made all eight of his appearances in relief. Ostensibly, he is the more apt choice of the two to land in the major league bullpen. Perez started 11 games at Class AA Corpus Christi last season, striking out 83 in 68⅓ innings with a 2.37 ERA.
“I personally still see him as a starter — not everyone in our organization is on the same page as far as where we’re going to start him and what role he’s going to be in,” Luhnow said of Perez, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 170 pounds.
“A smaller stature person like him usually gets pigeonholed into the bullpen, but he throws 97 and he has good stuff. He’s demonstrated he can last six or seven innings, so I certainly don’t want to give up on that option too soon.”