Houston Astros Should Target Trey Mancini at Trade Deadline

With Yuli Gurriel's struggles on the forefront, the Houston Astros should explore a trade for Trey Mancini.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

With no outs and runners in scoring position Thursday, first baseman Yuli Gurriel entered the box to be the hero in a tied-contest. The 38-year-old is not having the season many expected with a .669 OPS nearly four months into the season.

Gurriel—who entered Thursday hitting .167 with runners in scoring position—struck out on six pitches. While game one of the doubleheader added more reason to upgrade the position, Gurriel still provided better play last month.

In 25 games, the right-hander slashed .241/.313/.437 with 11 extra-base hits and an improved walk rate compared to April and May. But as Gurriel's numbers mirrored the league average, he isn't showing any sign of reaching his batting-champion ways from 2021.

Through 58 at-bats in July, Gurriel's slugging percentage is .379 while he has struck four of his 16 hits for extra bases. The production from the corner infield positions haven't lived up to plan this season, but as Alex Bregman molds into a different hitter, Gurriel is falling behind.

The first base market has a couple names buzzing in Washington Nationals' Josh Bell, Arizona Diamondbacks' Christian Walker and Baltimore Orioles' Trey Mancini. While the Astros could target a second catcher, another front-end starter or a bullpen upgrade, Mancini is great value to improve a fringe spot in the Astros' lineup.

On the year, Mancini is slashing .274/.350/.412 with an 119 OPS+. Above the league norm, the righty fits in the sixth- or seventh-hole for Houston moving down the stretch once the lineup returns to full strength.

Mancini has roped 16 doubles and nine home runs with an extreme pull on those extra-base hits that could fare well at Minute Maid Park. The righty is hitting the ball harder compared to last season, too, according to Baseball Savant.

In the 52nd percentile of chase rate, Mancini's approach has improved while also whiffing at a lower clip. Starting to walk more and strikeout less, the 30-year-old has resorted to getting on-base more frequently after sporting a .326 OBP last season.

Baltimore Orioles First Baseman Trey Mancini / Tom Horak-USA TODAY Sports

The regular first baseman can also extend to the corner-outfield positions. Starting 11 games between left and right field this year, Mancini has committed one error in 23 chances.

Mancini not only betters Gurriel offensively, but he has also done so defensively in Outs Above Average, although in different sample sizes. On the year, Mancini has started more games as the designated hitter than at first base. 

Mancini has a $10 million team option for the 2023 season that carries a $250,000 buyout. If he does land in Houston by Aug. 2, the Astros would highly consider picking up the option after paying Gurriel $8 million this season. 

A hypothetical trade could include a team-controlled position player with the Orioles looking to compete in the coming years, and in the Astros' case, infielder Joe Perez could be centered around that deal.

Perez recently returned from an oblique injury this month, and with limited major league time, the Double-A infielder's ceiling as a plus hitter and strong corner infielder could fit in Baltimore's future plans.

While Chas McCormick's name floats through trade proposals, the Astros' outfield situation remains unclear with Michael Brantley not progressing as planned. McCormick isn't playing consistently this season, and if Houston doesn't target an experienced outfielder in the coming weeks, the Astros are better off with McCormick on the roster.

But if Houston looks to address another area with the Orioles, there are team controllable relievers with effective arsenals. Félix Bautista, Jorge López, and former Astro Cionel Pérez have all slipped into trade rumors, and if general manager James Click looks to add a bullpen arm as well, the Orioles could be atop his call list.

Pérez was traded for prospect catcher Luke Berryhill in Jan. 2021. After being designated for assignment by the Cincinnati Reds last year, the lefty is striking out over 20 percent of the batters he faces with a 1.45 ERA in 31 innings. 

If a trade is conducted with Baltimore, Houston could bolster its first base position with Mancini while also adding a team-controlled reliever for future success. Bidders may sway the price on Mancini and company, but Perez's value would eat a significant chuck of a trade for the first baseman.

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