August 8, 2025 • 8 mins
Brian McTaggart: Depth Of Pitching Is Our Biggest Concern
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, so let's get back to Brian mctagger with
us here on the show. So, Brian, look, the Astros
did not do well in Boston. That seriously hurt them.
The two out of three in Miami was good. Unfortunately
the White Sox did the Astros no favors. This is
as tight as it's been and it's not about what
happened this week. It's basically been what the Astros have
(00:22):
been for a better part of a month. Now, what
are we seeing in your eyes from the Astros in
the last month that we did not see maybe in
the previous month when they were playing all those first
place teams and beating them on a regular basis.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Well, I think the injuries just cut up with them.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I mean they you know, Penya was out for a
good stretch of that. You know, Meyers has been out
for a good stretch of that. You know they're slowly
starting to get you know, their starters back, but you know,
I just think they lost their horses.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I mean, ever since sweeping the Dodgers in.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
LA they're nine to sixteen, and yeah, the Mariners now
right on their heels.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
So but the lineup looked a lot better in Miami.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
I mean, Sanchez is gonna make a big difference, Kary
is gonna make a big difference, Panya being back is
going to make a big difference. And uh, you know,
now they got a chance to get hot the air
back soon, so they I think they've weathered the worst
of the storm, but the murder is not going anywhere,
so they're gonna have to fend them off here.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
For the next six weeks. So do you think it's
a case of I don't know.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Is it just getting guys back and expecting too much
right away? Like, for instance, everybody thinks Brian winning, if
Jordan comes back, this offense is gonna be prolific. This
is a guy that hasn't swung a bat and make
it in a regular season games since May. I Unfortunately,
you want to temper expectations. But at the same time, Brian,
you're in the middle of a Pennant race down know
(01:43):
about fifty games off the go in the year. The
time for experimenting is largely over here.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Yeah, you're right, I mean, is he gonna come back
and what are you gonna get out of him? I mean,
Penya has come back and looked, you know, look pretty
good at the play, but he didn't miss as nearly
the amount of games as On hasn't He wasn't dealing
with the hand injury.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
So but again, you'd rather have him in the lineup
and see what he can do than not.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
And he just you know, he strikes the fear of
God and opposing pictures.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
So uh, but yeah, I think offensively they're going to
be fine.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
I mean, Sanshin looks like he can really make a
difference hitting the ball hard or the lineup is just deeper.
You just don't have like that bottom three where you're
like maybe these are automatic outs.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
You just don't have that anymore.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
And with Jordan and talking about him coming back, what
did you make of all the comments about him in
the injury It needs it needs surgery, but they can't
get surgery there. Does it sound like maybe he does
need an office season procedure, but they don't want to
miss him for the season, so he's going to try
to heal up and and try to pay play through
the pain. What did you make of all that? Because
(02:50):
just asking how close to one hundred percent do you
guess that Jordan can be physically.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Well, it's hard enough.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
I mean we were told that the hand that the
broken bone, and he will I think about a month
ago were in Colorado and then the inflammation came out
and he got a shot.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
And so the fact that we're.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Still you know, where he's at and taking batting practice
is you know, pretty troublesome.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
I mean, he's had hand.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Injuries before, so I don't know if there's anything they
can do surgery wise. I mean, I think they probably
would have done it now because this is just dragged
on for so long.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So who knows.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I mean, I guess, uh, I guess we'll find out
at some point he's going to go and play in
a triple A game or whatever, and maybe he can
get back, but it's hard to it's hard to count
on and be in the lineup at this point when
he's just been ounced for so long.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Rian mctagger with us here on the radio program.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Uh, East Zac Peretti's not gonna have the surgery and
to have that injection if you already had, So what
was your thought about that? And realistically is that just
a player going you know what, I don't want to
go on to the knife. I want to do whatever
I can, and uh, if he comes back at all,
that'd be considered gravy right in some respects, I think.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
You're totally right.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
I mean, look, they put him on the sixty day
on the other day, which would take him to I
don't know the exact day, but somewhere around September fifteen, sixteenth.
So even if he comes back, you're talking on the
last ten games of the regular season. I think it's
a really, really long shot. I mean, all we heard
for a couple of weeks was, you know, a severe injury,
(04:26):
an injury is going to you know, there are reports
he's going to be out for the year.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
But yeah, I think it's sort of a hail Mary
on eastos Park to try to get back to.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
This lineup, and hey, if it works, great, If not,
you know, they went out and got Carlos Korea to
play third base and so that they should be set there.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
But I just wonder if he doesn't get back, if
you'll go.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Ahead and have the surgery and you know, we'll that
take him out in the next year as well. But
I guess hats off for Eastock to trying to rehab
this thing getting back on the field.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
You mentioned Carlos Correa just your evaluation of the three moves.
Obviously a very short sample size, but the guys that
the Astros ad at the deadline and how you feel
not only have they've played, but have they've been used.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yeah, you know Sanchez hitting up in the lineup, playing
mostly left field. I mean, he certainly hits the ball hard.
He gives you that threat from the left side that
you needed a little more balanced at the top of
the lineup, which they didn't have. He seems to be
a super likable guy. I think that's fit in pretty
well so far. And k Is Kore, I mean it
came back in like he never left. He's sitting there
(05:30):
with you know, Jose Al two Vay to his side,
Marvin Gonzalez was in the clubhouse of Florida. It was
like every the man was getting back together. But you know,
having him playing third base, you know, I think he'll
do really well over there.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
You know, he brings the better leadership as well.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
And who is a guy that can sort of fill
in and gives you another one of those utility players
like Yuvon. I mean, I think they were all three
great moves. I know they wanted to get a starting
pitcher at a reliever. The cost was too high, and
you know, I totally get that they're sort of rolling
the dice here with their rehabbing starters coming back and
hoping that they can give him something down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
A couple more minutes here with Brian mctagger at MLB
dot com with us here, what do you see in
terms of playing time the rest of the way for
Cam Smith, especially with the fact you've got Hayesu Sanchez
now on this baseball team. You've got some utility players.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
You can move around. You can move to bond to
the outfield if you needed to.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
And again, if Jordan comes back, that may precipitate Jose
going to left field. What is Cam's unless again, a
hot streak comes into play, which very well could, but
obviously his.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Last month has not been his best month. It's a
major leaguer. Yeah, I could see him losing the best
to Stanchester.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Sure, Sanchez playing you know, right field, and he starts
and right against left handers, and I guess I guess
right hander, sorry, and Cam starting and right against lefties.
You will have the Jordaens situation when he comes back.
So I think this the trades will just cut into
his bats a little bit.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Especially if he continues not to be productive.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Was a game in Miami, had a couple of hits,
but still he's come up in some big spots and
not been able to get it done. So you know,
at this point in the season, you can't you know,
you can't afford to run a guy out there who
is struggling to play it. And now they have options
where they can start somebody else and or Is gives
them good at bats and can play some positions, and
they could put somebody else in right field, like you said,
(07:20):
whether Sanchez or or somebody else to get those abats
until Smith can get going.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Last thing, Brian, I think I know the answer to this,
but I want to get it from your perspective. The
most encouraging thing about the Astros the rest of the
way to me is the lineup is lengthened now that
you have Sanchez, now that you have Cardl's Korea, You've
got Jeremy Paynya back. That to me is the most
encouraging thing about the rest of the way. What do
(07:48):
you think is the biggest alarm going off in the
Astros organization with these fifty or so games left to go.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I think it's probably depth, depth of pitching, both starting
and relieving. I mean, Arraghetti's first start didn't go well. Yeah,
he was a little rusty, so you know, you give
him another one. J Javier hasn't thrown the ball great
and his rehab starts, but you know he's going to
be coming up here. Luis Garcia threw the ball really
well last night at Triple A, so that's a positive.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
But even on the relief side, I mean.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Who do you trust, you know, beyond those last two
guys and a breaker and hater. I mean they went
out and got a reliever, signed a reliever yesterday who
had been with the Braves, and a guy that throws hard,
and maybe they can change some of his usage and
he can become a key guy. But do they have
enough weapons in the bullpen? Is there enough starting pitching
depth that can you know, match them up and get
(08:38):
them get them through a long seven game series.
All right, so let's get back to Brian mctagger with
us here on the show. So, Brian, look, the Astros
did not do well in Boston. That seriously hurt them.
The two out of three in Miami was good. Unfortunately
the White Sox did the Astros no favors. This is
as tight as it's been and it's not about what
happened this week. It's basically been what the Astros have
(00:22):
been for a better part of a month. Now, what
are we seeing in your eyes from the Astros in
the last month that we did not see maybe in
the previous month when they were playing all those first
place teams and beating them on a regular basis.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Well, I think the injuries just cut up with them.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
I mean they you know, Penya was out for a
good stretch of that. You know, Meyers has been out
for a good stretch of that. You know they're slowly
starting to get you know, their starters back, but you know,
I just think they lost their horses.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I mean, ever since sweeping the Dodgers in.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
LA they're nine to sixteen, and yeah, the Mariners now
right on their heels.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
So but the lineup looked a lot better in Miami.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
I mean, Sanchez is gonna make a big difference, Kary
is gonna make a big difference, Panya being back is
going to make a big difference. And uh, you know,
now they got a chance to get hot the air
back soon, so they I think they've weathered the worst
of the storm, but the murder is not going anywhere,
so they're gonna have to fend them off here.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
For the next six weeks. So do you think it's
a case of I don't know.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Is it just getting guys back and expecting too much
right away? Like, for instance, everybody thinks Brian winning, if
Jordan comes back, this offense is gonna be prolific. This
is a guy that hasn't swung a bat and make
it in a regular season games since May. I Unfortunately,
you want to temper expectations. But at the same time, Brian,
you're in the middle of a Pennant race down know
(01:43):
about fifty games off the go in the year. The
time for experimenting is largely over here.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Yeah, you're right, I mean, is he gonna come back
and what are you gonna get out of him? I mean,
Penya has come back and looked, you know, look pretty
good at the play, but he didn't miss as nearly
the amount of games as On hasn't He wasn't dealing
with the hand injury.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
So but again, you'd rather have him in the lineup
and see what he can do than not.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
And he just you know, he strikes the fear of
God and opposing pictures.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
So uh, but yeah, I think offensively they're going to
be fine.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
I mean, Sanshin looks like he can really make a
difference hitting the ball hard or the lineup is just deeper.
You just don't have like that bottom three where you're
like maybe these are automatic outs.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
You just don't have that anymore.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
And with Jordan and talking about him coming back, what
did you make of all the comments about him in
the injury It needs it needs surgery, but they can't
get surgery there. Does it sound like maybe he does
need an office season procedure, but they don't want to
miss him for the season, so he's going to try
to heal up and and try to pay play through
the pain. What did you make of all that? Because
(02:50):
just asking how close to one hundred percent do you
guess that Jordan can be physically.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Well, it's hard enough.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
I mean we were told that the hand that the
broken bone, and he will I think about a month
ago were in Colorado and then the inflammation came out
and he got a shot.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
And so the fact that we're.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Still you know, where he's at and taking batting practice
is you know, pretty troublesome.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
I mean, he's had hand.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Injuries before, so I don't know if there's anything they
can do surgery wise. I mean, I think they probably
would have done it now because this is just dragged
on for so long.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So who knows.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I mean, I guess, uh, I guess we'll find out
at some point he's going to go and play in
a triple A game or whatever, and maybe he can
get back, but it's hard to it's hard to count
on and be in the lineup at this point when
he's just been ounced for so long.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Rian mctagger with us here on the radio program.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Uh, East Zac Peretti's not gonna have the surgery and
to have that injection if you already had, So what
was your thought about that? And realistically is that just
a player going you know what, I don't want to
go on to the knife. I want to do whatever
I can, and uh, if he comes back at all,
that'd be considered gravy right in some respects, I think.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
You're totally right.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
I mean, look, they put him on the sixty day
on the other day, which would take him to I
don't know the exact day, but somewhere around September fifteen, sixteenth.
So even if he comes back, you're talking on the
last ten games of the regular season. I think it's
a really, really long shot. I mean, all we heard
for a couple of weeks was, you know, a severe injury,
(04:26):
an injury is going to you know, there are reports
he's going to be out for the year.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
But yeah, I think it's sort of a hail Mary
on eastos Park to try to get back to.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
This lineup, and hey, if it works, great, If not,
you know, they went out and got Carlos Korea to
play third base and so that they should be set there.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
But I just wonder if he doesn't get back, if
you'll go.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Ahead and have the surgery and you know, we'll that
take him out in the next year as well. But
I guess hats off for Eastock to trying to rehab
this thing getting back on the field.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
You mentioned Carlos Correa just your evaluation of the three moves.
Obviously a very short sample size, but the guys that
the Astros ad at the deadline and how you feel
not only have they've played, but have they've been used.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yeah, you know Sanchez hitting up in the lineup, playing
mostly left field. I mean, he certainly hits the ball hard.
He gives you that threat from the left side that
you needed a little more balanced at the top of
the lineup, which they didn't have. He seems to be
a super likable guy. I think that's fit in pretty
well so far. And k Is Kore, I mean it
came back in like he never left. He's sitting there
(05:30):
with you know, Jose Al two Vay to his side,
Marvin Gonzalez was in the clubhouse of Florida. It was
like every the man was getting back together. But you know,
having him playing third base, you know, I think he'll
do really well over there.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
You know, he brings the better leadership as well.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
And who is a guy that can sort of fill
in and gives you another one of those utility players
like Yuvon. I mean, I think they were all three
great moves. I know they wanted to get a starting
pitcher at a reliever. The cost was too high, and
you know, I totally get that they're sort of rolling
the dice here with their rehabbing starters coming back and
hoping that they can give him something down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
A couple more minutes here with Brian mctagger at MLB
dot com with us here, what do you see in
terms of playing time the rest of the way for
Cam Smith, especially with the fact you've got Hayesu Sanchez
now on this baseball team. You've got some utility players.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
You can move around. You can move to bond to
the outfield if you needed to.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
And again, if Jordan comes back, that may precipitate Jose
going to left field. What is Cam's unless again, a
hot streak comes into play, which very well could, but
obviously his.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Last month has not been his best month. It's a
major leaguer. Yeah, I could see him losing the best
to Stanchester.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Sure, Sanchez playing you know, right field, and he starts
and right against left handers, and I guess I guess
right hander, sorry, and Cam starting and right against lefties.
You will have the Jordaens situation when he comes back.
So I think this the trades will just cut into
his bats a little bit.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Especially if he continues not to be productive.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Was a game in Miami, had a couple of hits,
but still he's come up in some big spots and
not been able to get it done. So you know,
at this point in the season, you can't you know,
you can't afford to run a guy out there who
is struggling to play it. And now they have options
where they can start somebody else and or Is gives
them good at bats and can play some positions, and
they could put somebody else in right field, like you said,
(07:20):
whether Sanchez or or somebody else to get those abats
until Smith can get going.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Last thing, Brian, I think I know the answer to this,
but I want to get it from your perspective. The
most encouraging thing about the Astros the rest of the
way to me is the lineup is lengthened now that
you have Sanchez, now that you have Cardl's Korea, You've
got Jeremy Paynya back. That to me is the most
encouraging thing about the rest of the way. What do
(07:48):
you think is the biggest alarm going off in the
Astros organization with these fifty or so games left to go.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I think it's probably depth, depth of pitching, both starting
and relieving. I mean, Arraghetti's first start didn't go well. Yeah,
he was a little rusty, so you know, you give
him another one. J Javier hasn't thrown the ball great
and his rehab starts, but you know he's going to
be coming up here. Luis Garcia threw the ball really
well last night at Triple A, so that's a positive.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
But even on the relief side, I mean.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Who do you trust, you know, beyond those last two
guys and a breaker and hater. I mean they went
out and got a reliever, signed a reliever yesterday who
had been with the Braves, and a guy that throws hard,
and maybe they can change some of his usage and
he can become a key guy. But do they have
enough weapons in the bullpen? Is there enough starting pitching
depth that can you know, match them up and get
(08:38):
them get them through a long seven game series.
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