Left-hander James Paxton has emerged as arguably their highest-profile trade candidate early this offseason, and he’s drawing interest from an array of teams, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Astros are part of that group, according to Rosenthal.
As World Series contenders who are seeking starters, the Astros are a logical match for Paxton. Even if the Astros do move McHugh back to their rotation next season, they’ll still be short on established starters. Swingman Brad Peacock and a series of youngsters, including Forrest Whitley (perhaps the game’s best pitching prospects) and Josh James, are among their other rotation possibilities. Paxton’s affordable control (through 2020) only adds to his value, as he’s projected to earn a reasonable $9MM in 2019.
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