On the heels of acquiring New York Yankees catcher Brian McCann, the Houston Astros have agreed to a deal with Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Josh Reddick.
Acccording to Jeff Passan, the Astros and Reddick have agreed to a four-year deal.
Sources: Josh Reddick’s deal is four years for $52 million.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 17, 2016
Report: Astros Sign Josh Reddick
This deal gives Reddick, on average, $13 million per year, and that’s a solid deal for both sides.
With outfielder Colby Rasmus hitting the free agent market, the Astros were on the hunt for an outfield bat, preferably a lefty one; Reddick is that guy. He’s a line drive hitter who can get on base, and is also a solid fielder. However, the Astros are banking on him bouncing back from a rough 2016 season.
In years past, Reddick had been a power bat, who was an asset to any lineup. However, he began the 2016 season as a line drive hitter. He wasn’t hitting for home runs when he was at the plate; he was just looking for contact. This mindset helped him hit .296 through July.
Then, at last year’s trade deadline, the Dodgers traded for Reddick and lefty Rich Hill to help them male a deep playoff run. While the Dodgers did make a deep postseason run, Reddick had little to do with it. After they acquired him, Reddick hit only .255 and drove in only nine runs. He became a liability for the Dodgers lineup as the year went on, and this offseason it was clear that he needed a new home; he’s now found that in Houston.
A change of scenery is just what Reddick needed, and the Astros will be a good fit. Reddick helps make their lineup more balanced with his lefty bat, and gives them a solid glove in the outfield. If all goes well, Reddick will play in Houston for the next four years.
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