The Houston Astros have struggled to close out trades for some of baseball’s best players while rivals strengthen, and their general manager is sick of the role no-trade clauses have had in that.
Astros GM Jeff Luhnow told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that no-trade clauses have hindered the Astros and helped their closest division rivals, the Texas Rangers. Last year, Cole Hamels rejected a trade to Houston in favor of a move to Texas, which led to Houston’s ill-fated Carlos Gomez trade. This year, Jonathan Lucroy rejected a move to Cleveland that ultimately led to him being dealt, again, to Texas.
“So we’ve had two deals not accepted by the player that has directly impacted us the last two trade deadlines,” Luhnow said. “That’s why I sure wish teams wouldn’t give out no-trade clauses.”
This strikes me as sour grapes. Players have every right to ask for no-trade clauses to have some leverage over potential trade destinations, which Hamels and Lucroy both used. Nobody forced the Astros to make the disastrous trade for Gomez, a move which recently ended horribly. The Astros were one of baseball’s most notorious losers for several years prior to their 2015 breakout. Building a winner out of that isn’t easy, and Luhnow’s gripes don’t come across well. Besides, given that the Astros now sit ten back of Texas, I’d say that Hamels in particular made the right decision.
