5 Astros who need to be gone by the time the 2026 trade deadline passes

We’re more than halfway through the 2026 season, and it’s safe to say that we don’t know what the Houston Astros are. They buried themselves early, but a bad division and a good run since the rough start make you wonder if this is 2024 all over again. Dana Brown has been very clear that the Astros are buyers at the deadline. Sure, fine, whatever.

But you don’t get to buy without selling something first, and this roster isn’t without pieces that have made their cases for the door, whether that’s in a trade that brings back something they can use now or simply moving away from a player who isn’t helping the cause. Some of these guys have real value. Others could use help cleaning out their locker.

These Astros players should be off the roster by the MLB trade deadline

Christian Walker, 1B

The difference between Christian Walker and someone like Isaac Paredes is that trading Walker is about getting value when there’s value to be gotten. He’s 35, owed real money into next season, and while he’s had stretches that looked like what the Astros thought they were getting, the overall shape of the contract hasn’t changed. He’s a declining bat and an aging glove. If that sounds familiar, well, it should. A team that’s serious about October but doesn’t have the best odds of getting there has to be willing to make a bold move like trading a middle-of-the-order bat to recoup a little value while aiming to find a modest upgrade. While you’d be trading him for pennies on the dollar, his told team, the Diamondbacks, may be interested in a reunion.

Mike Burrows, RHP

Right or wrong, Houston isn’t tearing anything down. They’re trying to win today, which is why a rotation that produces consistently non-competitive starts can’t stick around. Burrows has disappointed for most of the season, and with the front office chasing arms like Casey Mize and supposedly in on some of the biggest names, there’s no scenario in which they add while still handing Burrows the ball every fifth day. It’s just math. A team pushing for October doesn’t have room for any starter who doesn’t give them length or results. And whoever the Astros acquire by the August 3 deadline will walk right into a rotation spot. The nice thing about Burrows is he’s just a year removed from a very solid season in Pittsburgh, so a team looking for rotation help beyond 2026 should have legitimate interest.

Bryan Abreu, RHP

This one is both a huge bummer and not at all complicated. We saw it coming months ago. Abreu was supposed to be the “second closer,” who would hold down the fort while Josh Hader worked his way back from injury, but he’s been anything but that. May was encouraging for him, but he’s still been inconsistent all season long. And with him becoming a free agent after the season, the Astros should be looking to move him in a deal for a team that might be willing to work with a former top arm to see if they can get him right for their stretch drive. The return may be minimal or someone like Abreu but in a different position, but that might be best for everyone involved.

Brice Matthews, INF/OF

You may have heard that the Astros farm system isn’t good enough to snag any of the top players available, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have young talent who could be intriguing to other teams. Matthews is one of those players. He’s been terrible, especially at home, but he still has a prospect pedigree and upside that a non-contending team would be interested in acquiring. With five years of control following the 2026 season, any rebuilding team would have a spot for Matthews who can play both infield and outfield, and the metrics like him in both spots. Will he headline a deal for Skubal? Well, no. But he can be a useful player to help facilitate a deal that helps the Astros today and act as a de facto prospect in a deal.

Jake Meyers, OF

Both Meyers and Joey Loperfido have struggled this year. Both are currently in Triple-A after being optioned, but Meyers is the one who still likely holds more value. He’s a known commodity defensively and has at least had a season of hitting well in the big leagues, though last season’s performance is clearly the aberration in his career. Regardless, though, teams can use very good defensive center fielders even if it’s not in a starting role. The Astros have publicly targeted a left-handed hitting outfielder at the deadline, so that would theoretically be the replacement for Meyers, if that’s even necessary with him already having been replaced. 

The front office hasn’t been shy to tell the world that they’re going to be aggressive at the deadline to upgrade this team in a push for the postseason. We talk about buying as a zero-sum game, but to acquire something, you have to send something the other way. Whether it’s Walker losing his grip on first base, Burrows losing his rotation spot, Abreu running out of chances, Matthews being a pawn, or Meyers watching his playing time evaporate, this roster will have a different look in about a month. It should, too. A team that actually believes it's contending shakes up this core to try to make a difference.

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