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The Houston Astros will be looking to buy at the upcoming trade deadline. Houston has clawed their way back into the postseason picture and sat just one game shy of the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners as the second half of the 2024 campaign began.
But the team's most recent injury update is not a good one, and it only increases the need for Astros GM Dana Brown to find help for the Houston rotation before July 30. Luis Garcia, who'd begun a rehab assignment before the All-Star break, was recalled from Double-A Corpus Christi.
The Astros were hopeful that both Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. would be returning soon after the All-Star break, but that now seems like a pipe dream. Houston is also without Christian Javier, Jose Urquidy, and Justin Verlander. With that in mind, which starters should the Astros look to acquire before the MLB trade deadline passes?
White Sox RHP Erick Fedde would bolster the Astros rotation
There's a lot of chatter about the Chicago White Sox looking to trade All-Star Garrett Crochet. While Chicago's ace would unquestionably be an upgrade for the Astros starting rotation, the price tag is far too steep for Houston to get involved.
However, Erick Fedde is having a solid bounce-back campaign after spending last year overseas in the KBO. Fedde is 7-3 with a 2.99 ERA and has been a durable starter for most of his professional career. Fedde is also under contract through next season after signing a team-friendly two-year, $15 million deal this past offseason.
While the rest of the baseball world looks to outbid one another for Crochet's services, it would behoove the Astros to snag Chicago's lesser-known asset at the upcoming trade deadline. Fedde would be a fantastic middle-of-the-rotation arm for the second half of the 2024 season and (hopefully) into the playoffs.
Astros could target AL West rival Tyler Anderson at MLB trade deadline
Inter-division trades are not something that baseball fans see very often. Inevitably, one team doesn't want to be embarrassed when the player they dealt to a division rival comes back to town and proves that moving on may not have been a wise choice.
But Tyler Anderson is all but assured to be moved at the MLB trade deadline. The left-hander was the Los Angeles Angels' lone All-Star this season and unlike many starters on the trade block, he's under control beyond the 2024 season.
Anderson has posted two All-Star seasons the past three years and has a relatively affordable contract heading into next season as well. Anderson would be a top-three starter for the Astros right now and could be a key cog in the rotation if Houston makes the playoffs.
Astros could add talented Blue Jays lefty Yusei Kikuchi to balance rotation
For an Astros rotation that has seen more players on the IL than the mound, having a veteran with a durable track record should be something Houston's front office covets at the MLB trade deadline. The Toronto Blue Jays look to be sellers at the upcoming deadline, and Yusei Kikuchi should be on the Astros' wishlist.
Kikuchi hit a wall recently, but prior to June, the southpaw was dealing. Through his first 11 games of 2024, Kikuchi was 2-4 with a 3.25 ERA and 2.87 FIP. He was striking out one batter per inning and kept his walk rate extremely low.
While the month of June was a rough one for the lefty, Kikuchi was throwing more strikes during his previous three starts before the All-Star break. Kikuchi has struck out 32% of the batters he's faced so far in July and his 3.47 xFIP suggests he's been a bit unlucky. Kikuchi would be a great stopgap option, as his contract expires after the season.