HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- As an executive with the Toronto Blue Jays, Astros general manager Dana Brown was in the draft room on the day Kendall Graveman was drafted in the eighth round of the 2013 draft out of Mississippi State.
"He was a senior sign," Brown recalled Friday. He was a competitive guy playing in the SEC. I have some history with him. I saw him pitching the minor leagues, and we moved him quick to the big leagues that one year."
With a little more than 96 hours left before the August 1 trade deadline, Brown acquired Graveman from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for catcher Korey Lee. Not only does the trade re-unite Brown with Graveman, it brings Graveman back to the Astros two years and one day after James Click brought him to the team in a deal with the Seattle Mariners
"I know the human being," Brown said. "It's very important for me to bring good makeup into the clubhouse because I think we have a good thing going here."
Graveman, 32, signed a three-year, $24 million deal with the White Sox after helping the Astros win the American League Pennant in 2021. The right-hander has compiled a 3.48 ERA in 48 games with the White Sox in 2023 and will help lengthen an overworked Astros bullpen.
"I hated to see Graveman leave the first time," Astros manager Dusty Baker said. "He was one of our favorite players and teammates in the short time he was here. He's picking up a whole bunch of games in the standings, and we know him, so I'm sure he'll fit right in. where he left off."
The Astros don't just view Friday's trade as a move for their 2023 playoff push. Brown said the team targeted Graveman because he is under contract for next season. Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek will be free agents after the season while Hector Neris has an $8.5 million option which he is likely to decline.
"To try to go out and get a free agent next year for one year, very difficult, so we're excited he had the extra year," Brown said.
Brown joked he needed to charge his phone after his session with reporters on Friday ended, and he'll need to have it plugged in with Major League Baseball's trade deadline approaching on Tuesday at 5:00. The Astros filled one of their needs by adding Graveman, but Brown also listed starting pitching and a left-handed bat as areas he'd like to address earlier in the week, though he seems to have cooled on the idea of adding a starting pitcher with Jose Urquidy due back as early as next weekend.
"The prices are always going to be high for starting pitching. If we can land something that makes sense and we don't have to mortgage the farm we may be in business on doing that, but right now with Urquidy coming back soon we feel really good about our rotation. Our top four guys are really good., (Brandon) Bielak's been solid, and he's been holding it down."
