Trey Mancini traded to Astros in three-team deal
HOUSTON (BVM) – After months of speculation, one of the hottest names around baseball has finally found a new home. According to Dan Connolly of The Athletic, the Baltimore Orioles have traded 30-year-old slugger Trey Mancini to the Houston Astros in a three-team deal involving the Tampa Bay Rays.
Orioles are trading Trey Mancini to the Astros. Sources.
— Dan Connolly (@danconnolly2016) August 1, 2022
The Orioles are set to receive the Rays’ No. 6-ranked prospect (RHP) Seth Johnson and the Astros’ No. 12-ranked prospect (RHP) Chayce McDermott.
Mancini has been a consistent offensive force throughout his career, impressing this season at the plate with a .268 batting average, .347 on-base percentage, and .404 slugging percentage. Spending time in both corner outfield spots, first base, and as a designated hitter, the 6-foot-3, right-handed hitter gives the Astros some added length to their already loaded lineup.
The career .270 hitter signed a one-year deal with the Orioles back in April that has a mutual option built in for the 2023 season. As maybe the most reliable player for the Orioles throughout the past few years, Mancini put together his most impressive campaign as a hitter back in 2019, notching 35 home runs and a slash line of .291/.364/.535. His numbers haven’t quite reached those highs since, but Mancini does rank at, or above, the 75th percentile of the league in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging.
Three-team trade! Full deal, according to sources.
Houston gets: 1B/OF Trey Manicini and RHP Jayden Murray
Baltimore gets: RHP Seth Johnson and Chayce McDermott
Tampa Bay gets: CF Jose Siri
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 1, 2022
How Trey Mancini fits with Houston:
Mancini will give the Astros some much needed pop from the right-hand side, joining a talented lineup led by the likes of Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve. Throughout the first half of the season, the Astros have neared the top of the league when it comes to slugging which will allow Mancini to transition quickly into a balanced Houston offense. The move will also allow for some flexibility in the team’s lineup as Mancini offers the ability to play either corner outfield spot or first base.
With Yuli Gurriel experiencing somewhat of a down season, the extra at-bats that Mancini can provide should open up Houston’s offense even more. With so much of the talk focused on the New York Yankees throughout this season, the Astros recent move was a much-needed effort to keep pace with the current league leaders. Houston has quietly flown under the radar as a team that can do damage come the later parts of the year.
With Alvarez and Kyle Tucker from the left side, and Alutve and Alex Bregman from the right, Mancini joins what should be one of the deepest lineups in the league.
Baltimore Orioles return for Trey Mancini:
Even with the positive momentum Baltimore has built up throughout its surprising first half, keeping Mancini just wasn’t in the cards for the team’s future. With a young roster, the Orioles have clearly made it a point to add to their young core even though they are just a few games out of a Wild Card spot.
The return which includes two right-handed pitchers in Johnson and McDermott will help bolster up an already talented group of pitching prospects. With top prospects Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall close to making their debuts, the newest additions give Baltimore a potentially deep group heading forward.