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5 starting pitcher trade targets for the Houston Astros
The Houston Astros just said that starting pitcher is their #1 priority at the trade deadline. Here are some options.
The Houston Astros should be busy at the trade deadline this year. We have written about their need to add a power bat to this lineup (probably an outfielder) previously and that remains true despite Jose Abreu starting to coming around lately. However, one need that is gaining momentum is at starting pitcher.
Astros general manager Dana Brown made a radio appearance on SportsTalk 790 on Wednesday where he made it abundantly clear that his number one priority at the deadline was starting pitching. This actually makes a fair amount of sense given the injuries that the Astros have suffered in their rotation and the fact that you need to have some depth in your rotation down the stretch.
There are some arms in the Houston farm system that are at least mildly interesting like Spencer Arrighetti, but he just got promoted to Triple-A and relying on him to make a contribution at the big league level during the chase for a playoff spot just isn't smart. So, we turn our attention to the trade market yet again for answers.
Which starting pitchers could the Astros target at the trade deadline?
Given the fact that the Astros should be competitive for at least the next few years, they should be looking at both the starting pitching rentals as well as rotation arms that have some team control. Guys who are owed a bunch of money probably don't make the most sense, but this trade market has plenty of starters that both shouldn't break the bank as well as who should be able to give Houston the depth in their rotation that they are looking for.
Lets take a look at some of the starting pitchers that the Astros should consider at the 2023 MLB trade deadline.
The Houston Astros need to push for a trade for Lucas Giolito
Lucas Giolito is going to be a very popular name at the trade deadline this year and with good reason. He misses bats, doesn't walk a ton of batters, has a track record of performance in the big leagues, and is a free agent after the 2023 season so teams don't have to commit as many resources into acquiring him.
There are some warts here, though. Giolito didn't have a great 2022 thanks to a 4.90 ERA and while his surface level numbers this season have been good, a deeper look at his peripherals is a bit spookier as he has been hit kinda hard this season. There is also the problem that a bunch of teams are going to be bidding for his services at the deadline which will drive up the price for a rental starter.
All of that said, the Astros should make a real attempt at nabbing Giolito. Even with the concerns regarding the batted ball profile against him this year, he is still the best rental starter that is likely to be available on the trade market since Sonny Gray probably isn't going anywhere. While he would cost more than your typical rental, he still shouldn't be all that expensive and this is the kind of arm that the Astros need and can get the most out of.
Marcus Stroman should be on the Astros' radar at the trade deadline
Marcus Stroman hasn't gotten as much press as a trade deadline candidate primarily because most of the talk with him has centered regarding his desire for the Chicago Cubs to give him an extension. However, it sounds like that the team hasn't been willing to make that sort of offer and with him looking like he should opt out of his current deal at the end of the season, this is another rental Houston should take a look at.
Stroman doesn't have big time swing and miss stuff, but he gets a ton of ground balls and has been a mortal lock to post a 3-3.50 ERA the last four seasons. He is currently in the middle of one of his better seasons as a pro with a 2.96 ERA and 2.4 fWAR in 19 starts this season. The guy just puts up quality innings every single year.
The Cubs sort of hanging around in the terrible NL Central despite being five games below .500 puts a wrinkle in things to be sure. They may wait a little bit to see how things shake out coming out of the All-Star break. Stroman also doesn't exactly light up the advanced metrics, either. However, his track record should be enough to convince Houston that he is at least worth having some conversations with the Cubs.
With the Tigers falling off, Houston should consider trading for Eduardo Rodriguez
The Detroit Tigers find themselves within spitting distance of a playoff spot given that the AL Central is a dumpster fire this year. However, they are way below .500 and would need to make some really big changes to actually compete, so we are betting that Eduardo Rodriguez should be available at the trade deadline.
Rodriguez had been one of the better pitchers in the American League before he went down with a finger injury late in the first half. He is back now at least, but keeping an eye on how he looks in July seems to be wise before making a move here. However, given that he, too, has an opt out in his contract means that he could probably be had at a decent price and that makes him a worthy gamble for Houston.
Jordan Montgomery would be a fantastic option at the trade deadline for the Astros
The Cardinals imploding in on themselves is not what anyone expected this year, but that is exactly what happened and now it looks like they are basically locks to be sellers to some degree at the trade deadline. While Jack Flaherty is still the guy that they are the most likely to move, another guy that is an impending free agent that the Astros should target is Jordan Montgomery.
Montgomery is basically the one guy in the St. Louis rotation that has done his job this season. He has posted a 3.23 ERA and 2.3 fWAR this season thanks to a decent strikeout rate and elite walk rate. He doesn't give up much hard contact and while his stuff isn't overpowering, he is just one of those guys that gets things done. This is a name the Astros need to make sure that they check in on before the deadline.
Dylan Cease would be expensive to trade for, but the Astros should check in anyways
There are a number of guys that have some team control that could be interesting at the trade deadline including Shane Bieber and Kyle Freeland, but out of that group we are going with Dylan Cease as a guy the Astros need to at least run a price check on.
Cease has given up more hard contact than you would like, but he can throw hard, misses bats, and is coming off back-to-back 4+ fWAR seasons which is no joke. The trick is going to be getting the White Sox to play ball. They are bad this year, but they also have some very good young players that they would like to compete with soon. The White Sox could decide that they want to keep Cease around for that, but there is also a chance that Chicago does a decent sized teardown. If that happens, the Astros need to be involved.
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