Astros still bidding against Yankees for Rays slugger ahead of trade deadline

The trade deadline has finally arrived, and it is currently unclear exactly how much the Houston Astros can or will do. After trading for Yusei Kikuchi on Monday, the Astros are already down several top potential trade chips, and their payroll situation is even less flexible than it was before the move.

In an ideal world, Houston would be able to add a first baseman. The team showed initial interest in trading for Pete Alonso before he was pulled off the market and have been repeatedly connected to the nearly-as-unavailable Vladimir Guerrero Jr. until recently. While the sexy options don't appear likely, it is hard to think that Houston is thrilled about the idea of playing Jon Singleton at first base every day, especially now that Joey Loperfido is out of the picture.

While the Astros' interest in the Rays' Isaac Paredes didn't work out, as the Cubs scooped him up, another Tampa slugger, Yandy Diaz, appears to be on Houston's wish list.

Astros Rumors: Houston bidding against Yankees, Pirates for Rays' Yandy Diaz

Unlike some of the Astros' preferred trade targets for first base, there is no doubt that Diaz is actually available. The Rays have been in full sell-off mode for days now, and with Diaz putting up a tremendous 2023 season and having a plus hit tool, contenders are likely to pay up at the deadline, given the lack of controllable bats on the trade market.

Where the Astros fit in the bidding for Diaz is a more complicated question. Both the Yankees and Pirates have better farm systems than the Astros, and if they wanted to outbid Houston, they simply could. However, the hefty price tags at the deadline this year could cause a fringe contender like Pittsburgh or a team with other, more prominent needs like New York to pull back. Adding Diaz, who is under team control for two more seasons after this one, including a 2026 club option, would be expensive to be sure, but Houston is pot committed already after the Kikuchi trade.

The real question is if Diaz would move the needle enough for the Astros to justify the cost. Diaz can certainly hit, but his power doesn't always show up in games as much as his build would suggest. That said, his average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage both grade out as elite, and could point to major upside for the Astros if they could actually pull a deal off for him.

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