Astros: 3 trade deadline moves Houston is lucky they didn’t make

3) Trading away Jose Urquidy

In another report before the trade deadline, Ken Rosenthal reported that the Astros were willing to trade some of their young, controllable starting pitching for some outfield help (primarily center field). The main starting pitcher discussed was Jose Urquidy.

Before the trade deadline, he had made 19 starts on the season with a 9-4 record with a 3.86 ERA. His opponents were hitting .254/.294/.438. Since then, he has made four starts. He has gone 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA and an opponent slash line of .192/.255/.340. In his last two starts, Urquidy has gone 7.2 and an even seven innings allowing a combined three earned runs.

Instead of trading Urquidy or one of their other young starting pitchers, they traded veteran right-handed starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi (who was, arguably, their worst starting pitcher) to the Braves for left-handed reliever Will Smith.

Smith is the only left-hander currently in the bullpen for the Astros, and he hasn’t been great (4.50 ERA in nine games). Still, at least they have a veteran left-handed reliever to go to in the postseason… without giving up Urquidy or any of their young starting pitching.