Astros GM says they are open to trading Keuchel, Cosart, McHugh
By Mike Marteny
Houston Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow is reportedly open to trading one of his young starters now. This is a stark contrast to the stance that he had earlier in the season.
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His 180 might have something to do with how the trade market has went so far. It is very much a seller’s market for starting pitching this year. This is affirmed by the haul that the Cubs got for Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel. The Red Sox also got a pretty good return for Jake Peavy.
Why else would the Rays even consider trading David Price? Expiring contract aside, they are very much in contention, and contenders don’t trade their best pitchers.
Unless they can rebuild their farm system in the process. Which is precisely what might happen.
It would make sense that a team loaded with pitching prospects such as the Astros would trade one of their incumbents for the right price. They don’t have anyone near the quality of Price or Samardzija, but they still have a handful of pitchers such as Jarred Cosart, Collin McHugh, or Dallas Keuchel who could help a contender. And they wouldn’t break the bank of the team trading for them.
That said, it would still be an unprecedented move for a team to trade a 24-year-old starter to a contender for “prospects”. Is a 24 year old with one year of major league experience not still a prospect? Keuchel is 26 and McHugh is 27, so those would make a little more sense.
This begs the question of whether one or all of these three were among the vocally discontent “anonymous” players who were upset that top prospect Mark Appel was promoted and was allowed to throw a bullpen session at Minute Maid Park. The timing of this is interesting to say the least.