Have you seen a player that you know has good upside but hasn’t exploited his potential? I have, it’s Phil Maton. The 28-year-old right-hander has been a decent reliever in his five-year career, but there have been times when Maton has proved he can be much better. Without going too far, he was excellent in the postseason, giving the Astros a reliable option for the middle innings in October.
Acquired from the Guardians for center-fielder Myles Straw in July, Maton was a little inconsistent in the regular season for Houston. It’s not like he had a bunch of consecutive bad appearances, but he was hit hard from time to time.