It’s time for the Houston Astros to start retaining their talent.
If the Astros want to continue being one of the better teams in Major League Baseball over the next decade, they have to ensure that they don’t mess around this time.
The Astros have allowed too many great players to walk, and as a result, the organization isn’t in as strong a position as it once was. Sure, money is a factor, and the ownership has never shown that they’re willing to carry a massive payroll and pay big tax penalties, but at some point, they’ll have to.
With youngster Jeremy Pena recently signing Scott Boras as his agent to help him in contract negotiations, according to The Athletic, it’s possible that the team has put itself in a bad position to keep the star around.
“The Astros have attempted it over the past two months. Peña’s price has skyrocketed as his success has grown. On Monday, Peña hired Scott Boras to represent him, complicating any chances Houston has at keeping him from free agency,” they wrote.
Others believe that Pena is worth significantly more than some have suggested.
Reports have indicated that he could be worth around $100 million, but Mauricio Dubon, an Astros utility player, said that he believes his teammate is worth $300 million
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“He’s a $300 million player,” Dubon said last week, before Peña hired Boras to represent him. “He’s been showing it. And he’s always had this. The problem is it never clicked.”
$300 million is a lot of money to give to Pena, but he’s been one of the better players in the American League this season, if not a top-five player.
However, given some of his struggles a year ago, the Astros must be cautious here. The last thing he wants to do is give somebody a bad contract when they haven’t been willing to spend in recent years.
