Astros' trade candidates could be the lifeline fading Mets need to save their season

There's been plenty of things to go wrong with the 2026 Houston Astros, but it may not be that much of a surprise. The team collapsed last September, lost Framber Valdez, took creative gambles in free agency, and they very much appeared to be a team that could implode early. Now, the Astros are an early team that insiders are speculating could be a lifeline for fading contenders looking for a boost.

Generally speaking, May is not the month for teams to make a trade that significantly moves the needle in the direction of selling or buying. By most measurements, it's still early, and front office executives like to kick the can down the road on selling until the Calendar dictates a decision must be made.

That being said, there's always a team or two that likes to spice things up as soon as they can. The New York Mets have been a train wreck to open the season. They finished April already 11 games under the .500 while speculation has run rampant that Carlos Mendoza could be out of a job soon.

Given that it's the Mets, and they can be unpredictable, the New York Post's Jon Heyman tried to suggest trade ideas that could fix their problems. First base is among the headaches they have, and Heyman suggests that New York could be an early candidate to trade for either Christian Walker or Isaac Paredes.

Astros have fallen back into the trade rumor mill that defined their offseason

If the Astros don't turn their season around, this is the fate that awaits them. Selling will define their moves later this summer, and most of the rumors will center around Walker or Paredes.

At the moment, as surprising as it may have sounded during the offseason, Walker is the more appealing trade candidate. He's on pace to have the best offensive season of his career, posting a 152 wRC+ through his first 131 plate appearances with seven home runs. He still carries a hefty contract, but his production could make it worth it for a team like the Mets.

Paredes has had a slow start to the season, but has a 111 wRC+ since April 12. The Astros had a high asking price for Paredes during the offseason, and they have him under control through the 2027 season on an affordable deal. At the very least, Houston will wait until his value is higher before considering putting him back on the trade market.

If the Astros had their wish, they probably wouldn't be involved in this type of speculation at this point in the season, but that's the bed they are forced to lie in.

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