The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Astros Lock In Isaac Paredes With $9.35M Contract

Episode Date: February 3, 2026

Astros Lock In Isaac Paredes With $9.35M Contract

It is the Matt Thomas show here on Sports Talk 790. Matt and Ross with you here. Rossi, we have a arbitration settlement between Isak Peretti's and the Houston Astros. Okay. That's good? I would think it's very, very good. Chandler Rom, our friend from the athletic, says moments ago that the Astros filed at 8.75 million. Paredes filed at 9.95 million.

They settled at the midpoint of $9.35 million. Oh, that's beautiful. So they're working it all out. So they're going to be paying $9 million plus for potentially a utility man. Believe that or not. That's what we have to figure out. I mean, how much is he going to play? How much are you going to rotate?

Now, the good thing in a way is that Jose Altuva is older. Carlos Correa is older. And Christian Walker is older. But all three of those guys that I just mentioned are going to want to play every day. Esauk Paredes is a top three stick in your lineup. You need him in there as much as possible. And by the way, of the guys you just mentioned,

Paredes is the cheapest the salary, but it's still a lot of money to pay for utility player. I don't know if, I mean, is it too late in the game to say there's going to be a trade? No. You can trade during spring training, of course. I know, but I know, obviously, I'm saying it's possible. And Paredes dollar amount for an everyday starting player, Parades could be for a different team.

if in fact you want to do that, that's good money. He's attractive, but the problem is, the more attractive the player is to other teams is the more attractive he is to you. Isaac Parade, as you mentioned, cheap. I think one of their top three sticks. They talked about last season how he lengthens the lineup because he takes pitches, he works counts,

and he just makes everything easier for everyone else. How do you keep him out of the lineup? Christian Walker had a better second half. There is no doubt in my mind. The Astros must be thinking, if we keep paredes, that means our leashes on some of our players is extraordinarily short, i.e. Christian Walker. Christian stumbles out of the gate. That speed is slower and the strikeout count remains high like it was last year.

Then you could see that. How well does he perform at spring training when he's back taking the second base glove? How many days off does Jose Al-Tube want? I love Jose Al-Tube. You know this. Jose Al-Tube has never said Matt. I want 3,000 hits. but you know in the back of his mind if he does.

If he takes off more games and he has ever before in his career, that slows down his path towards 3,000 hits. Yeah, but taking off those games are going to lengthen your career, I guess would be maybe the counter argument to that, but I don't know because baseball also in itself is a game where you can get a hot hand for a couple of weeks or a month. You can get a cold hit. You can have some of the greatest hitters in baseball.

It used to happen to Kyle Tucker or Alex Bregman all the time. I mean, Aaron Judge, how many times he'll just, going this massive slump for like 40 games. You don't have time to figure that out if you're Joe Espada. I'm still convinced they're going to move this, A, because they've got a trade chip. Paredes is a great trade chip at less than $10 million. And secondly, how much does Joe Espada want this headache constantly being asked about it? Not only from us, goofy media, but from the players in his own clubhouse.

I know he's a really good communicator. I know he wants to get in front of it. He's even said as much to us during Astro Fan Fest. But just because you try to calm the waters down in a clubhouse, you've got competitive guys that want to play. Yeah, but what if you trade away Paratus and Christian Walker is a dud? Or, you know, you get injuries. As I said, all these guys are in their 30s.

And Jose Al Tuvae's OPS has gone down for three straight years. But teams don't stash guys making $9.5 million. I know. It's an interesting, interesting problem for the Astros. I'm still not 100% convinced, but I'm more leaning yes than no that something is going to be shaken that by the end of the season in 2026, we're not talking about this congested infield. Could be injuries.

Could be guys moving. And maybe even if you can't make the right move now. Could be futility too. But see, I mean, it feels like it has to happen now rather than at the deadline. Well, you're... I know. How is everybody playing at the deadline? I don't think so.

I think you could still get great. If Pertis is a good season and he's not been... overworked. How's he having a good season if he's not playing much? Oh, the numbers are the numbers. Yeah, I know. It's interesting. I think there's more factors of the unknown as the season would go along. Or maybe the known, as we said.