The Houston Astros lost out on the services of Jose Quintana after the Chicago Cubs made a blockbuster deal for the former Chicago White Sox pitcher. That doesn't mean that the Astros are not looking for another starter. The team's rotation has dealt with injuries all season long.
Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers Jr. have been rotating ace pitchers for the team, but both have spent time on the disabled list. Charlie Morton has spent time on the DL, while Collin McHugh has not pitched at all this season. For these reasons, Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweeted out that the Astros are doing their homework on San Francisco Giant pitcher Jeff Samardzija.
Mid rotation workhorse
Samardzija is on pace to throw 200 innings this season and is on the second worst team in the majors. Brian Sabean, the Giant's executive vice president of baseball operations, has said that the team is open for business. The Astros have six of the top 100 prospects in all of baseball, so the team could make a push. Samardzija is 4-10 this season with a 4.58 earned run average.
Samardzija is no ace, and the Astros would not need him to be. It's about giving the bullpen a break. Samardzija has gone at least six innings or more in seven straight starts. His shortest start was on May 30 when he lasted 4.2 innings. Despite his overall record, Samardzija has not pitched that badly.
He has given up more than three earned runs in only two of those five starts.
The Astros have the lineup to provide run support to allow Samardzija to pitch deep into ball games. If Samardzija is throwing six-plus innings with a bad lineup in San Francisco, the possibilities are endless for what he could do in Houston.
Roadblocks in the trade
Sabean has hinted that he wants to push for a playoff spot in 2018, which is why has been reluctant to wanting to part ways with Samardzija and Johnny Cueto. The team is 35-57 this season and is heading towards a top pick in next year's draft. However, this was a team that made the playoffs last season before falling to the eventual World Series champion Cubs in the National League Division Series.
Samardzija is under contract until 2020, which makes him a controllable starter. Plus, he is set to make $60 million for the next three seasons. That would be the biggest contract on the team in Houston. Josh Reddick has the largest contract on the team at four years, and $52 million. If the Astros get Samardzija, they at least would not have to worry about extensions for Kechuel until 2019, and McCullers Jr. until 2022.
