The Houston Astros officially acquired closer Ken Giles from the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday in a deal that cost them a top prospect and a former first overall pick.
The Astros get Giles and a prospect, but the cost was steep, as they parted ways with starter Brett Oberholtzer, top prospect Vincent Velasquez, and 2013 first overall pick Mark Appel.
Giles was expendable for Philadelphia, as it’s going to be a few years before they contend again, and a high quality closer on a losing team isn’t really useful, especially when it can return a prospect haul like this. Appel, the former top pick, has not progressed as hoped, but still has the arm to make an impact at the big league level, while Velasquez has already made his Major League debut and struck out over a batter an inning at the age of 23.
It’s a win-win for both teams. The Phillies get some quality arms for their rebuilding project, and the Astros get the closer that they were hell-bent on acquiring.
