Astros’ Carlos Gomez, George Springer drawing interest at winter meetings
By Evan Drellich on December 9, 2015 at 10:53 AM
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Fireballer Vince Velasquez is a hot name for teams that talk to the Astros. The team doesn’t want to move him but is more willing to part with him than Lance McCullers, as one would expect after the breakout season McCullers had in 2015.
The Astros are also getting inquiries on their outfielders, baseball sources said, and are said to be open to moving George Springer — if the haul is big enough.
The Astros last winter traded Dexter Fowler to the Cubs and Fowler’s now a free agent. The Astros again have an athletic center fielder who’s a year away from hitting free agency in Carlos Gomez, and the Cubs again have a need.
The Cubs do have interest in Gomez, but the Astros are reticent to make a move and have a high price not only because Gomez could be a high impact player, but because the Astros have an outfield that has a history of injuries with Springer and Colby Rasmus.
Logically, the same thinking applies with Springer.
“What I learned about our season for our team in specific was the depth of our team is challenged through injury, through some under performance, some over performance, guys arrived at different times,” manager A.J. Hinch said Tuesday.
As the Astros continue to look for top relief pitching they also are checking in on starting pitching, and have talked to the Indians about Carlos Carrasco.
Pitching is the team’s priority, general manager Jeff Luhnow has said more than once.
The Astros probably shouldn’t worry about past trades or values. At the same time, any move made with Gomez would be compared to what the Astros gave up to get him and Mike Fiers at the deadline, a big package headlined by Brett Phillips.
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