The Houston Astros are trying to figure out how to rectify the bitter disappointment of their incredible streak of seven consecutive ALCS appearances coming to an end.
They continued their AL West dominance with another division title, but it was as hard fought this season as it’s been throughout their run of success.
One of the pieces who was key in helping the Astros lock up the West once again was trade deadline acquisition Yusei Kikuchi who posted a 2.70 ERA and 5-1 record in 10 starts with the team.
Those numbers were far better than anything the veteran has shown before, and as a result Houston likely wisely let him walk to their AL West counterpart Los Angeles Angels on a three-year deal worth a staggering $63 million.
When it comes to replacing that production, the Astros could look internally, but they also might try to take a swing to keep them on top of the division and push for a return to American League supremacy.
Christopher Kline of FanSided named Atlanta Braves free agent ace Max Fried as someone Houston could pursue to not just replace, but severely upgrade from Kikuchi.
“The door is open for a Houston team with a history of spending aggressively in free agency,” he wrote.
“Fried would balance the rotation as another left-handed ace behind Framber Valdez. Coming off his second All-Star campaign in Atlanta, Fried has developed a reputation for reliability in the regular season.
“His output in the playoffs has suffered by comparison in recent years, but Fried has a World Series under his belt … He’s not the top-billed free agent pitcher this winter, but Fried can deliver results on par with the very best in baseball.”
The Astros actually spending the money it would require to land Fried feels unlikely depending on what happens with Alex Bregman.
Plus, Framber Valdez will be a free agent next winter, so handing a massive contract to Fried would likely mean Valdez playing elsewhere after the upcoming season.
There’s an argument to be made, however, that acquiring Fried should supersede any future looming financial commitments in the rotation.
With a 3.07 ERA over his eight-year Braves career, he has been among the best pitchers in baseball.
His playoff struggles are a bit of a concern for a team who hopes to contend for championships, but perhaps a change of scenery could help the star when the lights are brightest in October.
