4 trades the Astros should consider in 2022

Once the 2022 Major League Baseball happens or if it happens, here are five trades that I think would help the Houston Astros contend for a World Series. I have also included a theoretical timeline as to when the trade could or should happen.

No. 4: The Astros could add an All-Star caliber center fielder.

I think Jose Siri is the center fielder of the future, and I also believe that a Jake Myers, Chas McCormick and Siri tandem works great just the way it does. This is why I doubt this trade happens.

However, if down the stretch these guys just aren’t getting it done, general manager James Click could absolutely make a trade for a replacement. In my opinion, the best fit would be Bryan Reynolds of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

He’s only 27-years-old, so the Astros would have to give up a piece (or two) of the tandem, as well as a few big prospects to get him. The Pirates will not be competing for awhile, but since Reynolds is young and is not a free agent until 2026, it will depend on whether Pittsburgh thinks he will stick around long enough for them to be a contender.

This trade would probably take place right before the deadline, as it requires the tandem to not be performing well.

No. 2 With Yimi Garcia and Kendall Graveman elsewhere, the Astros could add another high-leverage bullpen arm.

This is the most important trade, but also possibly the easiest one to get done. If the 2021 World Series said anything, you know that we need more bullpen help, especially with Graveman now leaving.

It should not be difficult for Click to deal some Triple-A guys at the deadline and pick up some solid relief from some non-contenders. It’s basically what he did at the past trade deadline, but we need a bit more.

Who should the Astros get? Depends who is having a good year when the trade deadline comes upon us to be honest. In my opinion, relievers usually aren’t good for very long, so it is hard to predict who will be at that point.

No. 1: The Astros could acquire a frontend of the rotation arm.

The projected starting rotation for 2022 is Justin Verlander, Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia and Jose Urquidy. This is a very solid lineup, especially when the last three have their stuff on point.

However, I think that at this point you have to go into the postseason assuming that either Verlander or McCullers will be out. I hate to say it, and I pray it doesn’t happen, but there’s a good chance that it will.

With that in mind, the postseason rotation looks something McCullers or Verlander in the front with Valdez, Garcia and Urquidy to follow. Unfortunately, I just don’t think that is good enough to win a World Series.

I assume that Garcia will have a great year, but that still leaves a cloud of uncertainty over whether Valdez and Urquidy will be great pitchers in the postseason. That is why I think it is essential for the Astros to trade for one, if not two, big name arms.

This could happen at the deadline if they want a better deal, maybe for Charlie Morton, Aaron Nola, Sonny Gray or Mike Minor, all of which will see free agency of some kind after this season.

Morton has a club option coming up, but I include him as if the Atlanta Braves are somehow slumping, maybe he wants to come back home.

The problem with the three guys besides Morton, is that they will cost between $10-15 million each against the luxury tax, so I doubt the Astros would go after them.

There are many pitchers out there for Click to go after, but it really just depends on what teams will be sellers at the deadline.

Gray is the only one I see as a true possibility with the Cincinnati Reds window closing after a rough 2021 season.

To swing that deal I assume the Reds would have to pick up a portion of his contract. If the Astros want to go for some cheaper arms, I could see them trading for a Merrill Kelly from Arizona, Tyler Anderson from Seattle or maybe even Kenta Maeda from Minnesota.