The Astros did not make the obvious move at the trade deadline, and that’s part of what made the deal for Daulton Varsho stand out. Houston, sitting atop the American League West, went after a need that had been hanging around for a while: a productive outfielder. Instead of landing one of the more expected names on the board, the Astros pulled off a surprise, sending starter Spencer Arrighetti to the Toronto Blue Jays for Varsho.
It was a notable swap for more than one reason. Arrighetti had multiple years of control through 2030, so moving him was not something many around the situation saw coming.
But Houston came away with a left-handed veteran center fielder, and manager Joe Espada made it clear the club sees Varsho as more than just a fit on paper. He’ll be the everyday center fielder and will hit in the middle of the order.
Espada spoke about the addition after the deadline passed on Monday and was direct about what Varsho brings.
“Excited to add Varsho to our lineup. Not only does he fit a hole we’ve had here for a while, he brings a different dynamic to our offense.
Can really play centerfield, lefty bat, this guy was in the World Series not that long ago. He knows what it takes, knows what it feels like," Espada said to reporters, including MLB.com.
That experience matters to Houston, especially with a center field group that is young overall. Cam Smith and Taylor Trammell are playing key roles there, and Varsho gives the Astros a veteran presence in the mix.
Espada also pointed to the skills that separate Varsho from the rest of the group.
"He’s got some juice, I think his power will play really well in this ballpark. He can run, steal some bases.
He’s a plus defender in center. So those are some things that will fit right in," Espada said.
Varsho already has 10 steals this season and picked up his first one as an Astro on Wednesday. At 5-foot-8, he has shown real pop over the course of his career, with three 20-plus home run seasons. He hit 20 last year for Toronto and posted a .548 SLG.
This season has looked different. Varsho has a .681 OPS with seven homers and 26 RBI, and the Astros are betting that a change of scenery can help unlock more of the power that has shown up before. If that happens, it would go a long way toward making the trade feel even bigger for Houston’s offense.
For now, Varsho has opened his Astros tenure with two hits in three games, and he has already shown he can work counts and stretch at-bats. The bigger question is whether this new start in Houston can get his bat moving again.
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