6 MLB All-Stars who could be Astros by August 1

The trade deadline is one of the most exciting times of the year for baseball fans. Until the final minutes, trades are flying left and right and there are surprise deals every single summer. For the Houston Astros, the trade deadline also represents the last time (well, kind of) the team can make additions to their roster before the end of the season now that the waiver deadline has gone away.

For the Astros, their shopping list is pretty straight forward. They need pitching depth (both in the rotation as well as the bullpen), and getting an impact bat who can play first base would be great. However, Dana Brown has gone a step further in saying he is looking to go big at the deadline, especially when it comes to his pursuit of a starter.

That is easier said than done, given that the Astros' farm system and payroll situation aren't great, but the Astros front office has been steadfast in their belief in this team. This is also the same front office that defied expectations and swung a huge trade for Justin Verlander at the deadline.

All of this points to potential fireworks at this year's trade deadline for Astros fans. Here are a look at some MLB All-Stars that either have already been connected to Houston ahead of the deadline and/or who fit as potential trade targets for the team.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

By most accounts at this point, the Blue Jays are going to be hard to convince to part with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. While he hasn't lived up to the "potential greatest hitter in the league" hype that followed him from the minor leagues, Guerrero Jr. has still been a serious power threat since he debuted in the big leagues and has made it to four straight All-Star Games. All the Astros-Guerrero Jr. noise has died down a little bit lately, but that could change quickly with just a single phone call, especially if Toronto decides to look to the future more.

Tyler Anderson

The Astros need starting pitching and, unfortunately, the trade market there has taken a while to develop due to the lack of obvious sellers. However, the Angels' Tyler Anderson (a two-time All-Star for our purposes here) could be an intriguing option. He would come with an extra year of team control and is elite at limiting hard contact, but the Astros' analytics-forward front office may be put off by his declining fastball velocity and lack of swing-and-miss.

Isaac Paredes

One of the recent names to pop up in connection with the Astros is Rays infielder Isaac Paredes. Paredes checks a lot of boxes for Houston. He can play first base, which solves that short-term need, he has a track record of hitting for power, and he also plays third, which helps down the line if/when Alex Bregman hits free agency. Paredes is under team control through 2027 and just made the All-Star team, so he won't be cheap. However, he is also kind of exactly what Houston has been looking for.

Yusei Kikuchi

This one may require a bit of crossing fingers and hoping. Unlike Guerrero Jr., Kikuchi is a pending free agent starter set to leave Toronto in a couple months who was once an All-Star with the Mariners and had a pretty good year last season. His 4.54 ERA doesn't look great on paper, but he has been missing bats and limiting walks with peripherals that are far more encouraging than they've been in recent years. As a potential "low prospect cost" option that might require some payroll gymnastics, Kikuchi could work as a depth starter.

Pete Alonso

If getting Guerrero Jr. away from the Blue Jays is going to be really hard, getting the Mets to part with Pete Alonso may be borderline impossible now that New York has played their way back into contention in the NL Wild Card chase. However, the Astros have talked to the Mets about Alonso previously, so the interest is there if New York decides to change course. Alonso would obviously be a great fit at first base the rest of the season.

Garrett Crochet

Look, let us dream for just a moment. Crochet is the best pitcher available on the trade market, even with the concerns over how many innings he has left this season, and the Astros need arms. If there is one pitcher that could get Brown to do something truly crazy and clean out his farm system, throwing in Joey Loperfido for good measure, it is probably Crochet. The odds are low, especially with the White Sox asking the moon for him, but anything is possible until the trade deadline passes.

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