Even after losing cornerstones Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker in the off-season and spending most of the season without slugger Yordan Álvarez, the Houston Astros train keeps on rolling.
The club has seized control of the American League West by winning 24 of their last 33 games, building a 6.5 game lead over the second-place Seattle Mariners. 26-year-old Hunter Brown has emerged as a legitimate Cy Young candidate with a Major-League-Baseball-leading 1.78 ERA, forming a fearsome 1-2 punch with rotation stalwart Framber Valdez. The bullpen, meanwhile, leads the American League with a 3.31 ERA, as closer Josh Hader and set-up man Brayan Abreu have been downright unhittable at the end of games. And while their offense may not be as explosive as years past, they have still been able to get the job done thanks to a breakout campaign from shortstop Jeremy Pena and productive performances from newcomers Isaac Paredes and rookie Cam Smith.
It is in that offense, however, where the Astros' most glaring weakness resides. No team has given more at-bats to right-handed hitters this year, and the club has received just 11 home runs from lefties this year - six of which are from switch-hitting backup catcher Victor Caratini. Though the return of Álvarez will help, the absence of Tucker has been felt all season, and as the Astros set their sights on another October run, they will be well-served to be in the market for a left-handed hitter. It’s no surprise, therefore, that CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson lists them as one of the leading contenders for Baltimore Orioles slugger Ryan O’Hearn.
“If the Orioles sell, moving an impending free agent like O'Hearn would make sense,” Anderson wrote. “He's quietly (though perhaps not so much anymore) turned into a developmental win, boosting his stock from a Quad-A first baseman who struck out too much to a platoon ace who flirts with the 90-90 club. (That's 90% in-zone contact rate, 90 mph average exit velocity.)”
O’Hearn’s bat is especially potent against right-handed pitching, as he has slashed .308/.394/.518 against them compared to just .227/.320/.273 against fellow southpaws. His defensive versatility is also a bonus, as he can spell the struggling Christian Walker at first base and handle both corner outfield spots.
Though many teams will be in the market for O’Hearn’s services, the idea of adding both O’Hearn and eventually Álvarez to a team that already looks like one of the best in the American League should motivate the Astros to outbid any other suitors.
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