2 Astros trade rumors we hope come true, 1 we hope doesn't happen

The Houston Astros fanbase is eagerly anticipating the upcoming trade deadline. What seemed rather improbable two months ago has become a reality — the Astros will be buyers at the deadline.

The Astros have been involved in a number of trade rumors, most of which have centered around Houston making an upgrade to both the starting lineup and the rotation. But with so many rumors floating about, are there one or two that just makes sense? On the flip side, is there a trade rumor you've heard that you hope doesn't come true?

Let's take a peek at a handful of trade rumors that the Houston faithful have heard over the past few weeks. Which two do Astros fans hope will come true, and which trade rumor does the fanbase want to see just go away?

Astros bolster lineup with addition of Yandy Díaz

The Astros must do something about first base. After pushing Jose Abreu out the door with a lot of zeroes left on his paycheck, Houston has been supplementing the position with a combination of Jon Singleton and Mauricio Dubón.

Recently it's come to light that Tampa Bay Rays are essentially having a fire sale and everything must go. While many Astros fans would like to see Houston go after infielder Isaac Paredes, Yandy Díaz is arguably the better hitter.

Paredes handles the strike zone well, and has an 11.9% walk rate, but a number of his advanced metrics are relatively uninspiring. Díaz, however, brings that same measure of plate discipline plus massive pop. According to Baseball Savant, Díaz ranks in the 90th percentile or higher in average exit velocity and hard hit rate.

While Paredes may offer a stopgap solution at first base and could replace Alex Bregman at the hot corner in 2025, adding Díaz is the better play.

Adding Jack Flaherty would be a tremendous upgrade for the Astros rotation

The Detroit Tigers have the two best starting pitchers who might be moved ahead the trade deadline in Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty. Most experts don't foresee the Tigers moving Skubal, but it's almost a done deal that Flaherty will be traded before the July 30 deadline.

Flaherty fits what the Astros need in so many ways. While Flaherty has never had top-notch velocity, he's still able to get swings and misses with his breaking balls. Flaherty has a 32% strikeout rate and his 4.6% walk rate is among the best in the game.

Justin Verlander is on the mend, Ronel Blanco has been lights out, Framber Valdez is back from the IL, and the duo of Hunter Brown and Spencer Arrighetti have had their moments. But adding Flaherty, who'll be a free agent after this season, would give Houston a reliable starter for an October run. This is a move Astros GM Dana Brown should make before Tuesday's deadline.

Astros should avoid Jameson Taillon with other short-term options available

The Astros have been linked to a number of starters with the MLB trade deadline only a few days away. But one trade rumor that's caught fire recently has been the Astros' interest in Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon.

While there's reason to believe that adding any starter at the deadline would be of benefit to Houston, Taillon doesn't represent the best option available for Houston at the deadline. The right-hander has kept the base paths nice and tidy with a 5.1% walk rate and has a sub-3.00 ERA on the season. But Taillon does not miss a lot of bats and is under contract for an additional two seasons with $36 million remaining.

Rather than target Taillon, the Astros could get a starter like Erick Fedde (who has one year and only $7.5 million remaining on his contract) from the Chicago White Sox. Fedde's numbers are quite similar to Taillon's and the contractual commitment is much easier to swallow with the Astros up against the luxury tax.

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