Yes it’s middle of September and the Astros are basically guaranteed a playoff spot and have the best odds to win the World Series. If the Astros had signed Keuchel for the same deal that the Braves did, they would not have had to swing a Zack Greinke trade. The butterfly effect of this move is huge from a prospects, salary, and even performance perspective. Greinke has a fairly large salary which most would conclude will take us out of the running in re-signing Cole.
Keuchel on the other hand, signed a 1-year deal at a fairly low rate.