Astros Don’t Plan to Pursue Cy Young Winner

The Houston Astros seem to have their pitching staff locked in for the regular season, to hear general manager Dana Brown tell it.

Brown talked with the media in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday and indicated that the Astros seem happy with what they have in their rotation and their bullpen. This comes a few weeks after Brown admitted that the Astros might seek to pursue more pitching.

Per The Athletic, Brown downplayed the idea that the Astros would add more pitching before Opening Day.

That includes a certain free-agent Cy Young winner, Blake Snell, who remains on the market and is by far the best starter left in free agency.

Even as Brown said the Astros don’t plan to pursue him, he said that the team “would love to have him.”

Both things can be true. The Astros would love to have a two-time Cy Young winner to go along with Justin Verlander, but the financial cost may be too much for the franchise to bear, even if it is for one season.

Brown said the Astros are more likely to add something at the trade deadline, much as they did when they re-acquired Verlander last August.

The Astros likely see Snell as a luxury right now. Along with Verlander the Astros have Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, José Urquidy, Hunter Brown and J.P. France. Plus, two pitchers rehabbing from injuries — Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. — are expected to return sometime this season.

Snell won nearly every first-place vote after he went 14-9 with a MLB-best 2.25 ERA. It’s the second time he’s led the Majors in ERA. He did it in 2018, when he went 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA with the Tampa Bay Rays. He won the AL Cy Young that season.

Snell is one of seven pitchers to win a Cy Young in both leagues and one of 21 pitchers to win at least two Cy Youngs.