A Payroll Update As The Trade Deadline Approaches

For the first time in a couple of years, the Astros — if the organization intends to stay under the base tax threshold of $230 million — have the payroll space in place to the tune of $31 million to add some talent and not immediately concern themselves about triggering a tax penalty. Sure, Houston essentially rebuilt their bullpen at the deadline last season without incurring a tax penalty when the margin within their self-imposed budget was slimmer. Still, their improvements didn’t require shuffling large amounts of salary. James Click and his front office made those improvements by operating on the margins, which was assisted by the club’s overall depth. It also helps when the existing roster is strong and only requires fine-tuning on the edges.

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