May 12, 2026 • 10 mins
Chandler Rome of The Athletic doubts Houston would seriously consider a move as drastic as trading Yordan Alvarez, but veterans such as Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes could emerge as more realistic trade candidates if the Astros continue to slide out of the AL West race before the deadline. Plus, are Dana Brown and Joe Espada on the hot seat? Be sure to listen to the audio for the full discussion.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Beat writer for the Astros and MLB.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I don't I don't know if it's it's worth it
to bring it up because I'm sure something is not imminent.
But wow, Chandler, major League Baseball and their Players Association
already talking about the CBA as of reports today.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Yeah, but I think that was expected, right, Like, you
got to start somewhere, and I guess it's good that
they're starting now and not, you know, in November before
it expires in December. But yeah, they're gonna this is
gonna be a long drawn out process that we're not
gonna have a really a resolution to anytime soon. But
I don't know how it went. I leave that to
Evandralic to to tell me how it went. But they
(00:45):
got to start somewhere, and I guess today was the
day they were gonna start.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Good vibes getting started very very early. How about the
vibes you expect to see at the ballpark sometime around
eight eight thirty eight forty five, And what information the
Astros have delivered about what their expectations are for the
fourth start and first since April tenth tonight for tatsu Emi.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah, I don't think anyone knows. I don't know what
to expect at all. This is I've probably not come
into a game in a very long time. Just just apps.
Nothing would surprise me. He could get one out, he
could get twenty outs, nothing would surprise me tonight. You know,
I think the prevailing theme from when Joe a Spota
(01:29):
talked to us earlier was they have basically told tatsu
Emi just do whatever you want to do. Joe a
Spota essentially said today, like they didn't even give them
a scouting report for the Mariners, like they heat maps,
zone maps all that, so like, no, don't don't worry
about that. Tatsuo might said in sugar Land last week
(01:49):
that the scouting reports had been a thing that had
been given him problems. So they they literally are just
like you attack the zone with what you want to throw,
and you do what you want to do. And they
are bending over backwards for this guy to make him
as comfortable as possible, to give him every ability to
(02:10):
be to do what is natural to him, because reading
between the lines, it just seems like he has struggled
with a lot of the adjustments in terms of things
that take him out of his comfort zone and look
coming over to the US and playing in MLB like
inherently that was going to take him out of his
comfort zone from Japan. But I think on the field,
(02:31):
they're really giving him a lot of autonomy just to
do whatever you want, anything that they can do to
try to get him to throw the ball in the
strike zone.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
So obviously Astros fans are hoping that that works and
gets him to the best version of himself so that
he can start doing what they brought him over to do.
But let's just say for the sake of argument, it
doesn't go well for whatever reason, or maybe it's not him,
but the Astros lose this game. The Astros, you know,
have a very very poor week against two teams that
are ahead of them in the division. Are one or
(03:01):
both of the brain trust you know at the at
the top of the food chain that aren't Jim Crane?
Are Are they not gonna make it out of this week?
Is there a scenario where you see somebody get fired.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I really don't know the answer to that, because there's
only one person that knows the answer to that, and
he ain't talking to me anytime soon.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Sorry.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
You know, it's hard for me to look at this
and blame the manager right, Like, the manager can only
run out the roster he has given and this roster
is injured beyond belief their line The reason their lineup
is struggling right now is is not because Christian Walker
is two for twenty five or Jordan Alvarez isn't a funk.
(03:42):
It's because they're five through nine hitters on most nights
should not be in a major league lineup like and
they have to do this because they have no other options.
And you know, they've got Paying on a rehab assignment. Now,
they've got Jake Myers on a rehab assignment, They've got
Hater closing in on coming back. I think the question
that Jim is going to have to ask himself if
(04:05):
if this week doesn't go well, He's going to have
to ask himself how much of a difference will getting
these guys back make? And does Joe Aspada or Dana
Brown deserve that chance to have a full complement of
healthy players, which they have not had since the first
home stand of the season. They have not had a
(04:26):
completely healthy team. Do they deserve that? Do they deserve
you know, a month or so with a more representative
roster of what is available to them. Do they deserve
that to try to go on a run. But the
problem is if you go one and six this week,
or if you go two and five this week, and
you find yourself, I don't know, like nine or ten
(04:47):
games back in the division. I'm not saying it's impossible
to come back. The Al West is awful, but it
makes it really difficult. So you know, I don't know
that they're at that point yet where it's just you know,
if they don't do well this week, then changes have
to come. But it's certainly something you can't rule out.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
When you consider any of those changes and what the
general manager's position is on most teams, how much is
true about this particular team the draft that comes up.
You're building the farm system while you're trying to win
at the major league level. The farm system was obviously
in a certain place when Dana Brown arrived. How do
you view their farm system with what he's been able
(05:28):
to do, and do you think there's any thought about
wanting him to continue through the draft because you like
what he's done. Talking about the organization's viewpoint, or is
there any element of maybe the opposite.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Well, the farm system you know, it's not it's not
in a totally better place than when he got here.
But part of that is he's had to make some
trades to make the major league team better. Part of
that is just you know, player development is not linear.
Player development takes time. Xavier Nions and Kevin Alvarez are
tearing it up at low ai uh where they are.
(06:01):
They're fanfle they're in faithful, They're they're tearing it up
and fatble they're great. Ethan Fryes had a nice start
to his year, but then walkery Onick, his first round
pick from a couple of years ago, has not played
well in Double A and is now on the injured list.
Bryce Matthews has been up here and you have seen
flashes of him being a guy, but I'm not sure
you look at him and say that's a big league regular.
(06:22):
You know, it's hard to judge drafts, and it's hard
to judge farm systems like immediately after drafts. So I
think it's a little unfair to just paint a broad
brush for Dana with that. But you know, I talked
about this on Rushitty Territory today, Like the question Jim's
going to have to ask is if they get to
the trade deadline and they are at a point where
(06:44):
they have to sell and they have to make very
consequential decisions about guys like Jeremy Pania, Josh Hater, Esak Paratus,
Christian Walker. Is Dana Brown the guy that you want
making those decisions? It is pretty clear that because they
because Jim Crane has had no extension talks with Dana Brown,
(07:06):
because he has not offered him a vote of confidence
when asked, it would seem to me that he because
of that lack of, you know, voicing his support. Would
it would seem to me that he doesn't believe this
guy is maybe or he's uncertain that this is the
guy he wants to run this thing into the future.
I'm not sure why you would if you have that
(07:27):
uncertainty and you haven't decided full throat that this is
the GM I want for the future. I'm not sure
why you would let him have his fingerprints on so
many consequential decisions. And you know, the draft is three
weeks before the trade deadline, So are you gonna let
him run the draft and then in the minute the
drafts over make a change two weeks before the deadline
that I don't know that that makes a ton of sense.
(07:49):
So I don't know. These are all questions that Jim
Crane's gonna have to ask himself. The answers may be
a little bit easier and could be a little more
clear if the Astros have a nice homestand if they
can somehow go five and too even you know, you know,
maybe four and three and they're still in it. There's
still you know, have a fighting chance there within a
four or five games of a wild card spot. You
(08:09):
get Paynya back, you get Meyers back, you get Hunter
Brown back sometime next month, and then you try to
start to make a run toward the middle of the.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
Season, regardless of who is or isn't making the decisions
as far as personnel. And I know you've seen this
kind of pick up traction just because people like to
write stuff this time of year.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Is there any.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
World where there's a reality to the rumors that Jordan
Alvarez would be even shopped, much less traded.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I would never say never, but I would also be
fall on the floor stunned if they trade. If they
trade Ord and Alvarez, Now with that being said, it
would be malpractice for them not to listen. Now, listening
does not mean you do it, but you can pick
up the phone and you can listen to what other
teams would offer. Again, that does not mean you do it.
(09:01):
But I think I think any GM, any head of
baseball operations, any person making decision to this magnitude, you're
doing a disservice if you don't listen to what's out there.
But I've I've not really asked around because I just,
quite frankly, I just don't think that's going to happen.
But the few people I have talked to just completely
(09:22):
doused that idea. So yeah, I would I would be
pretty surprised if that happens. But you know, again, I'll
bring the I'll bring the Detroit Tigers into this, like
they listened on Tarrek Scooble this past winter. Like I
don't think they were ever going to trade him, but
they listened, and as they should, and as you know,
the Astros. I don't think they're going to trade ord
(09:43):
and Alvarez, but they should listen, because what's the harm
in listening? Just because you listen doesn't mean you pull
the trigger and do it.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Can you give us just thirty seconds on this since
you brought up the tigers, what your thirty seconds worth
of thoughts were on the Framber Valdez experienerience that the
Tigers are now experiencing.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Was anyone surprised? I don't even think I need thirty
seconds for that. Was anybody surprised? Really?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
It was wild to see exact watch it literally happen,
and no, I think you're right.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I don't think anybody was truly surprised. Chandler.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
We appreciate the time as always look forward to everything
you produce in the athletic crush Shitty territory as well.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Like you mentioned, we'll catch up with you again soon
Beat writer for the Astros and MLB.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I don't I don't know if it's it's worth it
to bring it up because I'm sure something is not imminent.
But wow, Chandler, major League Baseball and their Players Association
already talking about the CBA as of reports today.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Yeah, but I think that was expected, right, Like, you
got to start somewhere, and I guess it's good that
they're starting now and not, you know, in November before
it expires in December. But yeah, they're gonna this is
gonna be a long drawn out process that we're not
gonna have a really a resolution to anytime soon. But
I don't know how it went. I leave that to
Evandralic to to tell me how it went. But they
(00:45):
got to start somewhere, and I guess today was the
day they were gonna start.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Good vibes getting started very very early. How about the
vibes you expect to see at the ballpark sometime around
eight eight thirty eight forty five, And what information the
Astros have delivered about what their expectations are for the
fourth start and first since April tenth tonight for tatsu Emi.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Yeah, I don't think anyone knows. I don't know what
to expect at all. This is I've probably not come
into a game in a very long time. Just just apps.
Nothing would surprise me. He could get one out, he
could get twenty outs, nothing would surprise me tonight. You know,
I think the prevailing theme from when Joe a Spota
(01:29):
talked to us earlier was they have basically told tatsu
Emi just do whatever you want to do. Joe a
Spota essentially said today, like they didn't even give them
a scouting report for the Mariners, like they heat maps,
zone maps all that, so like, no, don't don't worry
about that. Tatsuo might said in sugar Land last week
(01:49):
that the scouting reports had been a thing that had
been given him problems. So they they literally are just
like you attack the zone with what you want to throw,
and you do what you want to do. And they
are bending over backwards for this guy to make him
as comfortable as possible, to give him every ability to
(02:10):
be to do what is natural to him, because reading
between the lines, it just seems like he has struggled
with a lot of the adjustments in terms of things
that take him out of his comfort zone and look
coming over to the US and playing in MLB like
inherently that was going to take him out of his
comfort zone from Japan. But I think on the field,
(02:31):
they're really giving him a lot of autonomy just to
do whatever you want, anything that they can do to
try to get him to throw the ball in the
strike zone.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
So obviously Astros fans are hoping that that works and
gets him to the best version of himself so that
he can start doing what they brought him over to do.
But let's just say for the sake of argument, it
doesn't go well for whatever reason, or maybe it's not him,
but the Astros lose this game. The Astros, you know,
have a very very poor week against two teams that
are ahead of them in the division. Are one or
(03:01):
both of the brain trust you know at the at
the top of the food chain that aren't Jim Crane?
Are Are they not gonna make it out of this week?
Is there a scenario where you see somebody get fired.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I really don't know the answer to that, because there's
only one person that knows the answer to that, and
he ain't talking to me anytime soon.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Sorry.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
You know, it's hard for me to look at this
and blame the manager right, Like, the manager can only
run out the roster he has given and this roster
is injured beyond belief their line The reason their lineup
is struggling right now is is not because Christian Walker
is two for twenty five or Jordan Alvarez isn't a funk.
(03:42):
It's because they're five through nine hitters on most nights
should not be in a major league lineup like and
they have to do this because they have no other options.
And you know, they've got Paying on a rehab assignment. Now,
they've got Jake Myers on a rehab assignment, They've got
Hater closing in on coming back. I think the question
that Jim is going to have to ask himself if
(04:05):
if this week doesn't go well, He's going to have
to ask himself how much of a difference will getting
these guys back make? And does Joe Aspada or Dana
Brown deserve that chance to have a full complement of
healthy players, which they have not had since the first
home stand of the season. They have not had a
(04:26):
completely healthy team. Do they deserve that? Do they deserve
you know, a month or so with a more representative
roster of what is available to them. Do they deserve
that to try to go on a run. But the
problem is if you go one and six this week,
or if you go two and five this week, and
you find yourself, I don't know, like nine or ten
(04:47):
games back in the division. I'm not saying it's impossible
to come back. The Al West is awful, but it
makes it really difficult. So you know, I don't know
that they're at that point yet where it's just you know,
if they don't do well this week, then changes have
to come. But it's certainly something you can't rule out.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
When you consider any of those changes and what the
general manager's position is on most teams, how much is
true about this particular team the draft that comes up.
You're building the farm system while you're trying to win
at the major league level. The farm system was obviously
in a certain place when Dana Brown arrived. How do
you view their farm system with what he's been able
(05:28):
to do, and do you think there's any thought about
wanting him to continue through the draft because you like
what he's done. Talking about the organization's viewpoint, or is
there any element of maybe the opposite.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Well, the farm system you know, it's not it's not
in a totally better place than when he got here.
But part of that is he's had to make some
trades to make the major league team better. Part of
that is just you know, player development is not linear.
Player development takes time. Xavier Nions and Kevin Alvarez are
tearing it up at low ai uh where they are.
(06:01):
They're fanfle they're in faithful, They're they're tearing it up
and fatble they're great. Ethan Fryes had a nice start
to his year, but then walkery Onick, his first round
pick from a couple of years ago, has not played
well in Double A and is now on the injured list.
Bryce Matthews has been up here and you have seen
flashes of him being a guy, but I'm not sure
you look at him and say that's a big league regular.
(06:22):
You know, it's hard to judge drafts, and it's hard
to judge farm systems like immediately after drafts. So I
think it's a little unfair to just paint a broad
brush for Dana with that. But you know, I talked
about this on Rushitty Territory today, Like the question Jim's
going to have to ask is if they get to
the trade deadline and they are at a point where
(06:44):
they have to sell and they have to make very
consequential decisions about guys like Jeremy Pania, Josh Hater, Esak Paratus,
Christian Walker. Is Dana Brown the guy that you want
making those decisions? It is pretty clear that because they
because Jim Crane has had no extension talks with Dana Brown,
(07:06):
because he has not offered him a vote of confidence
when asked, it would seem to me that he because
of that lack of, you know, voicing his support. Would
it would seem to me that he doesn't believe this
guy is maybe or he's uncertain that this is the
guy he wants to run this thing into the future.
I'm not sure why you would if you have that
(07:27):
uncertainty and you haven't decided full throat that this is
the GM I want for the future. I'm not sure
why you would let him have his fingerprints on so
many consequential decisions. And you know, the draft is three
weeks before the trade deadline, So are you gonna let
him run the draft and then in the minute the
drafts over make a change two weeks before the deadline
that I don't know that that makes a ton of sense.
(07:49):
So I don't know. These are all questions that Jim
Crane's gonna have to ask himself. The answers may be
a little bit easier and could be a little more
clear if the Astros have a nice homestand if they
can somehow go five and too even you know, you know,
maybe four and three and they're still in it. There's
still you know, have a fighting chance there within a
four or five games of a wild card spot. You
(08:09):
get Paynya back, you get Meyers back, you get Hunter
Brown back sometime next month, and then you try to
start to make a run toward the middle of the.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
Season, regardless of who is or isn't making the decisions
as far as personnel. And I know you've seen this
kind of pick up traction just because people like to
write stuff this time of year.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Is there any.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
World where there's a reality to the rumors that Jordan
Alvarez would be even shopped, much less traded.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I would never say never, but I would also be
fall on the floor stunned if they trade. If they
trade Ord and Alvarez, Now with that being said, it
would be malpractice for them not to listen. Now, listening
does not mean you do it, but you can pick
up the phone and you can listen to what other
teams would offer. Again, that does not mean you do it.
(09:01):
But I think I think any GM, any head of
baseball operations, any person making decision to this magnitude, you're
doing a disservice if you don't listen to what's out there.
But I've I've not really asked around because I just,
quite frankly, I just don't think that's going to happen.
But the few people I have talked to just completely
(09:22):
doused that idea. So yeah, I would I would be
pretty surprised if that happens. But you know, again, I'll
bring the I'll bring the Detroit Tigers into this, like
they listened on Tarrek Scooble this past winter. Like I
don't think they were ever going to trade him, but
they listened, and as they should, and as you know,
the Astros. I don't think they're going to trade ord
(09:43):
and Alvarez, but they should listen, because what's the harm
in listening? Just because you listen doesn't mean you pull
the trigger and do it.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Can you give us just thirty seconds on this since
you brought up the tigers, what your thirty seconds worth
of thoughts were on the Framber Valdez experienerience that the
Tigers are now experiencing.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Was anyone surprised? I don't even think I need thirty
seconds for that. Was anybody surprised? Really?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
It was wild to see exact watch it literally happen,
and no, I think you're right.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I don't think anybody was truly surprised. Chandler.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
We appreciate the time as always look forward to everything
you produce in the athletic crush Shitty territory as well.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Like you mentioned, we'll catch up with you again soon
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