Natural Astro Trey Mancini Proves He Needs to Start Almost Every Day — Dusty Baker Must Recognize a Major Trade Win as a Regular

Trey Mancini found the Crawford Boxes in the first at-bat of his first start as a Houston Astro. He hit two home runs and racked up five RBIs in his second start. On Sunday, he did something even better. He worked “Mo Money Mo Problems,” Biggie and SpongeBob into the same in-game interview for Peacock.

While running to try and catch a foul ball near the dugout in Cleveland.

Yes, there is no need to wait for a larger sample size. Trey Mancini is the perfect new Astro. He’s already making a strong case as the best trade that current Astros general manager James Click has made. Though getting Kendall Graveman for the stretch run last season and seeing something in Seattle reject Rafael Montero that no one else did are worthy enough contenders.

Mancini is something else though. He’s lengthened this Astros lineup (especially when Kyle Tucker isn’t sick) to the point where it’s hard to see the now sputtering New York Yankees holding onto the No. 1 seed in the American League playoffs. Aaron Judge and Co.’s once commanding lead over Houston is now down to a mere game heading into Tuesday night’s action.

The Yankees seem shakier since the trade deadline, having given up a pitcher who’s shown he is capable of pitching well under the immense spotlight New York brings (Jordan Montgomery) and trading for one who may not be (Frankie Montas). Meanwhile, the Astros only look stronger with Mancini.

The new guy’s brought some serious enthusiasm too.

“From afar, I’ve always had a high respect for the Astros,” Mancini says in that in-game interview with Peacock.

That sound you hear is all the Astros haters groaning. Yes, one of the best guys in baseball — the man who beat colon cancer and inspired many — already seems all in on this very nationally underrated Astros culture.

Now, Astros manager Dusty Baker must be all in on Mancini. Baker must play Mancini almost every day as a regular for this Astros team to reach its full potential. Yes, Mancini’s started four of the last five games for this 70 win team. But that must continue when Kyle Tucker is feeling better and back to playing every day.

Baker can play Mancini at first base, outfield and designated hitter. But he must play him without worrying about Yuli Gurriel, Chas McCormick, Jake Meyers or any other holdover Astros’ feelings. Gurriel is a great Astro one of the few Core Astros left who made a difference in that franchise redefining 2017 world championship run. It’s Jose Altuve, Justin Verlander, Alex Bregman, Lance McCullers Jr. and Gurriel.

That means plenty. But it shouldn’t mean that Gurriel gets to take time from Mancini. Mancini’s almost immediately seemed to make this Astros lineup a little longer, a tad less completely top heavy.

Trey Mancini has three home runs in the last week, a span of 18 at-bats. Yuli Gurriel has one home run since June 29, a span of 118 at-bats. An Astros lineup that can struggle to score in bunches at times needs the additional power that Mancini can provide.

This isn’t the plot of Westworld. It’s rather easy to figure out. For these Astros to be at their best, Trey Mancini needs to play a lot.

James Click landed what may be the steal of the trade deadline. Now, Dusty Baker needs to use him. Pretty much everyday.

Trey Mancini would never demand — or even campaign — for such a thing. That isn’t in his nature. One of the best guys in baseball would never make it about him.

James Click landed what may be the steal of the trade deadline. Now, Dusty Baker needs to use him. Pretty much everyday.

Mancini is just excited about the big games to come.

“I got to experience the Wildcard game in 2016 in Baltimore,” Mancini says at his introductory press conference. “When we played them in Toronto. And that was the best baseball experience I’ve ever had.

“So it’s incredible to be here in this situation. And on this team. Like I said, I just wanna have a smooth transition.”

That already seems accomplished. His first night in an Astros uniform, Trey Mancini spends time on the bench going over things on an iPad with Justin Verlander, one of baseball’s great students and teachers. The next day, the former Baltimore Oriole hits his first home run in a new shade of orange.

James Click and the Mancini Win

The results of Click’s other two deadline deals are still much more in flux. Catcher Christian Vazquez has only gotten two starts and nine at-bats since the trade. And reliever Will Smith only has been trusted with three relatively low leverage innings, which should be expected. To start.

The Astros are banking on Smith becoming their latest pitching reclamation project. Smith went from World Series standout to the guy who unselfishly gave up his closer’s role to Kenley Jansen in Atlanta and then seemingly lost his mojo. Smith brought a bloated 4.38 ERA and a 1.514 WHIP to Houston.

All the better for the Astros’ pitching scientists to work on?

This Houston organization transformed Rafael Montero from a Seattle mess into an elite bullpen arm and helped Gerrit Cole become one of the best pitchers in baseball. (Though since departed Pitching Yoda Brent Strom was still around for the Cole reboot.) Smith gave up a home run in his first Astros appearance, but that came just one day after he arrived. Before any changes really could be suggested let alone implemented.

As far as Mancini goes, no changes seem needed. Just a regular spot in the everyday lineup.