Astros: best trade options out of the NL East

The trade deadline will be here on Friday, and the Houston Astros are once again in the position to make upgrades to their current roster. With Tampa Bay acquiring Nelson Cruz and teams like Chicago (AL), Boston and Oakland likely also making deadline moves, Houston will need to be active and find ways to better themselves for the grueling second-half push.

As of Friday, general manager James Click opened up to beat reporters about the pursuit of high-leverage arms, and how the team is not counting on a return from Justin Verlander. After a strong performance all around on Friday against the Texas Rangers, the Astros still look in need of a few assets.

The Astros will obviously consider every team as a potential trade option, but I think one division might provide the Astros with the best trade piece options – the NL East. The New York Mets currently sit on top of the standings in the NL East, a division full of teams that have either disappointed or been riddled with injuries.

The NL East looks to be up for grabs, but who is available to be traded this week?

With no other team in striking distance of the wild card, it seems likely that some teams in that division will wave the white flag and become sellers on July 30th.  Hopefully one of these NL East teams can wind up cutting a deal with Houston.

Assuming the Mets hold onto the division, let’s take a look at the best trade options from the other four teams in the NL East.