Astros Trade Deadline: 3 approaches to the trade deadline

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The Astros are on a roll and finally look like the contenders we all expected them to be. But with the trade deadline looming, here are three approaches.

The Houston Astros have been the best team in baseball recently, and the offense seems to have clicked in with outbursts of big hits up in Colorado. Nevertheless, the goal is not to be the best team in mid-August—it is to be the last one standing at the end of October.

Houston has been relying on their surprisingly good, next-man-up pitching staff, and obviously Verlander’s return will seriously bolster their playoff chances, but the Astros must consider some upgrades at the plate if they want to punch their ticket back to the Fall Classic.

Houston arguably has the best lineup in baseball when healthy. But, as we all know, this season has been far from healthy. Yordan Alvarez is on the shelf for the year, leaving a massive hole in the middle of the lineup.

The trade deadline looms and the Houston Astros have some decisions to make

Alex Bregman is on the IL with a strained hamstring, an injury that never seems to have a quick recovery time. George Springer and Michael Brantley have missed a ton of games already in this short season with injuries. Aledmys Diaz is hurt so often he should buy a house in Corpus Christi.

And we all know the nagging injuries and unfortunate massage history with Carlos Correa. The point is Houston’s best lineups will more than likely not be available come crunch time in October. With this, and the likelihood of losing key players this winter, James Click and company may have some decisions to make in this win-now mode.

Let’s consider the options:

3. Stay put and trust the young guys.

If this were a week ago, I’d say this was non-option. But opinions can change when you see a barrage of runs.

There have been serious peaks and valleys in Kyle Tucker’s first stint as an everyday player, Abraham Toro has left a lot to be desired, and Myles Straw doesn’t strike me as someone who’ll heat up at the plate. Taylor Jones seems solid and played well in spring training, but he needs more at-bats to prove himself.

However, looking deeper into the numbers suggests that Tucker and Toro might be fine after all. Tucker has been barreling the ball more often and Toro’s hard-hit rate signals his .171 batting average is more unlucky than poor. If Houston can get the Colorado-version of Kyle Tucker and Abraham Toro more often, plus good at-bats from Straw and Jones, then the front office will not need to do any deals.

Hunter Pence, Houston Astros (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

2. Rentals

In a shortened season with tons of nagging injuries across the league, it’s hard to predict how much value you can get trading for a player who may not be available when needed. However, Houston may only need a bottom of the lineup bat, and some players might be worth borrowing for eight weeks of service. A few low-risk hitters Houston should consider are:

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Hunter Pence – I low-key want this to happen because I love everything Hunter Pence and want an Astros reunion. Pence is a career .280 hitter, was an All-Star last year, and knows what it takes to win a World Series. He wouldn’t need to play every day for this team, and he seems to always hit well at Minute Maid. At worst, you can plug him into the bottom of the lineup if the injuries keep mounting. He’s been bad in San Francisco so far this year on a one-year deal, so he might be a bargain trade piece.

Kevin Pillar – The Red Sox aren’t doing anything this year and Pillar is a solid bat who drove in 88 runs last year. You’d also know what you’re gonna get with him as far as production – he’s consistently batted around .260 since 2014 and gets a high amount of extra-base hits. He’d have some roster flexibility to cope with the injuries, and it would be appealing to have another righty bat that could smack balls in the Crawford Boxes.

Todd Frazier – No one knows the injury bug better than the ToddFather. The guy has been banged up for most of his thirties and doesn’t have the pop he had back in his All-Star days. But he seems to play much better when he doesn’t play for a team in New York state, and I can proudly say Houston is not in New York. Plugging him in at DH, or at third if Bregman is still hurt, would be a solid option for the ‘Stros.

Cameron Maybin – I told you I like Astros reunions. A trade for Maybin wouldn’t lead any headlines in the baseball world, but I think he’s an undervalued player at this point of his career. He produced well for the Yankees last year and had some great plays during Houston’s 2017 title run. As someone who could pinch-hit in certain spots, hits decently against both righties and lefties, and is still a threat around the bases, Maybin is worth another look.

Houston Astros, Whit Merrifield (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

1. Long(er) Term Options

Whit Merrifield – The Royals All-Star has circled the trade rumor rounds recently and might be a huge asset come playoff time. A career .300 hitter with a low strikeout rate would be a welcome addition to Houston (or any playoff team for that matter). He won’t be a free agent until 2024, so the Royals asking price might be a little steep, but a trade like this would be a short-term and long-term play. With the potential of losing Gurriel, Reddick, Springer and Brantley in the offseason, Houston might have to consider recalibrating their roster now to continue their winning ways beyond 2020. Merrifield could convert to a full-time outfielder, and the thought of an interchangeable Altuve-Bregman-Correa- Alvarez-Tucker-Merrifield batting order for the next few years is appetizing.

Yasiel Puig – The former Cuban sensation isn’t with a team at the moment, so Houston could sign him without leveraging their future. He’d obviously bring his flaws with him—he’s been known to be a problem in the locker room, has had three 100-strike out seasons, and struggles against power pitchers and lefties—but don’t forget he’s only 29 years old and still has immense power in his bat. And it’s not like he’s Chris Carter at the plate. He batted .297 last year for the Cleveland Indians. Teaming him up with some of his fellow Cuban teammates (Alvarez, Gurriel) and placing him in the 7 or 8 spot as a DH could spell success for this year’s Astros and strike fear into the opposing pitchers.

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Considering this funky shortened season, the trade deadline might be a dud for everyone. Nevertheless, if Houston wants to win that piece of metal again (as Manfred likes to say) in front of thousands of cardboard cutout fans, James Click might need to kick the tires on a few options.

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