Meetings have GMs in exploration mode
Luhnow anticipates conversations about pitchers, catchers
CARLSBAD, Calif. — Slated to begin Tuesday morning inside a sprawling Southern California golf resort, Major League Baseball’s general manager meetings generally do not invite the hysteria and hype of its Winter Meetings.
The three-day gathering instead lays a foundation for next month’s monstrous summit of the sport’s entire world.
“(We) don’t feel like we have to accomplish anything this week,” Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said Monday. “But it really lays the groundwork, and if something presents itself, we won’t hesitate to move on it.”
The Astros have obvious needs — catching and starting pitching foremost among them — all undercut by one ominous unknown that could alter the arrangements Luhnow has already begun to lay.
Luhnow said Monday the organization will know more “shortly”
in regard to Lance McCullers Jr.’s health. The general manager was scant on details, revealing only that the 24-year-old has seen “some doctors” and some type of surgery exists as a possibility.
McCullers strained a muscle in his forearm while swinging a bat in August. He returned to pitch five postseason innings. After the season concluded, McCullers acknowledged he pitched “through some stuff” in the postseason. Forearm injuries or soreness often can be a precursor to elbow problems.
“If he has surgery, no. If he doesn’t, yes,” Luhnow said when asked directly if McCullers will pitch for the Astros in 2019. “Any time you’re talking about an elbow injury, (surgery) is one path to resolving it.”
McCullers’ potential exclusion places more urgency on addressing the Astros’ starting rotation. Charlie Morton and Dallas Keuchel have entered free agency. If McCullers cannot pitch, Houston will be without three pitchers who totaled 499 innings in 2017.
“I think our goal is going to be looking at all the different alternatives — including trade, free agency and our own guys — as a way to fill the rotation,” Luhnow said.
Luhnow arrived late Monday afternoon at San Diego International Airport. He scrolled through an iPhone on the ground floor at baggage claim, awaiting the hour-long ride to continue dialogue in Carlsbad.
“We talk to any club that has players of interest to us,” Luhnow said. “Those conversations already started — they’ve been going on for a couple weeks anyway — but it’s a good opportunity to accelerate those conversations because we’re here in person. There are several players on other teams that we’re interested in that we think are going to be available, so we’re having conversations.”
Keuchel holds a qualifying offer he will almost certainly decline by the Nov. 12 deadline.
The Astros did not extend oneyear, $17.9 million qualifying offers to their four other eligible free agents. Clubs receive compensation draft picks for each qualifying offer that is declined by a free agent who signs with another team.
Morton, 34, seemed a logical candidate to receive one. So did utility man Marwin Gonzalez, though he is expected to command a multiyear deal in his first freeagency foray.
Luhnow said every organization does “different analysis” while disseminating qualifying offers.
In 2015, for example, the Astros extended one valued at $15.8 million to Colby Rasmus. The enigmatic outfielder accepted — the first major leaguer ever to do so. The next season, he mustered a .641 OPS in 107 games.
“We have been in the situation in the past where a player takes our qualifying offer and (we) thought they maybe were, maybe weren’t (taking it),” Luhnow said. “It’s not an insignificant investment.”
Luhnow said the Astros have interest in “several” of their seven free-agent players. Catcher Martin Maldonado, the trade deadline acquisition who impressed with his defense and fast assimilation to a new environment, won the favor of Houston’s pitching staff.
“We were very happy with how Maldy fit into our club and his contributions through the second half of the season,” Luhnow said. “We’re going to need somebody like him. There’s other options for us, but we’re going to have to do something to continue to bolster our catching for next year.”
Maldonado’s offense is meager — just a .627 OPS in 119 games. Two free-agent targets — Yasmani Grandal and Wilson Ramos — each had an OPS over .800 in 2018. So, too, did Marlins All-Star J.T. Realmuto, who has already stated his desire to be traded.
The Astros prioritize defense over offense for their catchers but obviously do not want anemic offense from a spot in the order. Striking a balance is imperative.
“We do want our catchers to produce offensively. It doesn’t have to be with home runs; it doesn’t have to be with high batting average. They need to do something offensively,” Luhnow said. “Otherwise, it’s an automatic out every time you go through the lineup, and that’s really hard to come back from.”