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The Houston Astros just put together a phenomenal trade deadline. Even before the team's late-season procurements, Astros GM Dana Brown should've received some serious consideration for Executive of the Year, but a last-minute acquisition of former Cy Young finalist Dylan Cease would've put an exclamation point on the team's trade deadline additions.
Cease would've formed a formidable 1-2-3 punch alongside Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez atop the Astros starting rotation. Houston's rotation has been decimated by injuries throughout the entire season, and adding Cease would've given them some much needed insurance.
The Astros were hunting for a left-handed bat, a replacement for injured third baseman Isaac Paredes, and an additional starter. The Astros got 2-of-3 in outfielder Jesús Sanchez, and former World Series hero Carlos Correa, but missing out on Cease could've cost them. The Astros went all-in at the trade deadline, but could still fall short of their ultimate goal.
Astros fans begged for a Dylan Cease trade, but didn't get
There were rumblings just before the deadline passed that Brown and San Diego Padres exec A.J. Preller were working out a deal for Cease, but ultimately, it fell through. It's not yet known what players or prospects Preller was targeting in return, but the Friars ace wasn't going to come cheap. Brown said after the deadline passed that the asking prices were just too high.
Without Cease, the Astros are now forced to face a grim reality. Their season now hangs in balance based on the second-half performance of Luis Garcia, Spencer Arrighetti, Christian Javier, and J.P. France — all of whom are returning from extended stays on the injured list.
Both Arrighetti and Javier are expected back soon, and Garcia (and then France) shouldn't be far behind. Houston also has Lance McCullers Jr. on the IL after suffering a blister. If all four — and maybe five — pitchers return and are effective, missing out on Cease won't hurt too much.
But given that Houston's dealt with so many injuries and setbacks this season, relying on such a strategy feels like a fool's errand. The Astros definitely got better at the deadline, but fans are hoping that 'the one that got away' doesn't come back to haunt their team during the second-half of the season.