Brewers' Isaac Paredes trade idea confirms why they may be the best lifeline for Astros

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic called it "necessary" that the Houston Astros trade Isaac Paredes before Opening Day. In fact, he said it was necessary that Paredes be dealt specifically for a left-handed-hitting outfielder.

The infield logjam certainly needs to be cleared. And while the Astros have a couple of left-handed hitting outfield options, Neither Joey Loperfido nor Zach Cole has inspired much confidence so far. Loperfido has struggled to break out in the majors despite multiple attempts, and is batting just .071 through six spring games, and Cole is hitting rockets with nothing to show for it.

With that in mind, Bleacher Report came up with a win-win trade to send Paredes to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for left-handed-hitting outfielder Garrett Mitchell and lefty reliever Aaron Ashby. With the current circumstances in mind, fans might agree that this proposed deal with the Brewers is Houston's best lifeline.

Astros-Brewers mock trade resolves the infield bottleneck

The return might look a little light at first glance, and there are some factors to consider. The biggest Astros' need is solved by Mitchell, and while he might look like more of the same compared to what they already have in the outfield, there are some differences.

Mitchell's had success at the big league level, most recently posting a 127 wRC+ over 69 games in 2024. The problem with Mitchell isn't talent or production; it's his ability to stay on the field. He saw his season end prematurely last July when he was forced to undergo shoulder surgery and has dealt with a litany of injuries over the past several seasons.

The addition of Ashby would give Houston another high-octane arm from the left side in the bullpen, which is especially useful right now given the uncertainty surrounding Josh Hader.

Lastly, the Astros save a few million dollars in the trade, which isn't much but adds some more breathing room against the luxury tax that will allow them to make future moves as the season unfolds.

You'd certainly like a higher-floor outfielder than Mitchell in return for Paredes, but while he's a young, productive, and relatively cheap player for the next two seasons, the Astros have put themselves in a position where they have no leverage.

Right now, the only team that has been barking up the Paredes tree recently has been the Pittsburgh Pirates, but they unfortunately don't have the left-handed bat in the outfield that Houston needs.

Milwaukee does, though, and they also have a need at the hot corner after inexplicably trading Caleb Durbin to the Boston Red Sox, which in turn eliminated Boston from contention for Paredes. If Houston can convince Milwaukee that Paredes can add some much-needed thump to their lineup, such a trade makes sense for both sides.