The Astros entered June an ugly eight games under .500 and staring into the abyss of a rare lost season for the club. Since then however, the team has battled back into the division race. Houston got hot at the right time and went 25-13 from June 1 through the All-Star break.
The Astros’ 17-8 record in June helped the team get above .500 for the first time all season on the final day of the month. They continued putting the pressure on a floundering Seattle Mariners team who got cold just as the Astros heated up.
Houston is now sporting a 50-46 record and finds themselves just one game behind the Mariners in the AL West. However, the weak division presents the team’s best chance at a postseason berth as the Astros are still 3.5 games back in the Wild Card hunt.
The team was once in very real danger of snapping their consecutive postseason appearance streak, having made the playoffs in each of the last seven seasons. With the right moves at the MLB trade deadline, the Astros stand a good chance of overtaking the Mariners in the second half and extending that streak to eight years.
However, despite Houston’s hot streak, the team only has the 13th best overall record in baseball, which is a good indicator of just how deep a hole they dug for themselves earlier in the year. The Astros have faced their share of injuries – particularly to the rotation, which is missing veteran Justin Verlander and Cristian Javier – as well as poor offensive production.
Houston would benefit greatly by adding a quality starter to the rotation and a power-hitting first baseman. While multiple teams are looking to upgrade their pitching and corner infield production, the Astros need to come away from the trade deadline with reinforcements if they’re going to make a strong second-half push and qualify for the playoffs.
The good news for Astros’ fans is that general manager Dana Brown is serious about adding talent at the deadline. He’s already been reaching out to organizations around the league in an attempt to get a deal done on a veteran starter and a “long- or short-term solution at first base,” per The Athletic’s Jim Bowden.
The team has been open about its interest in first basemen Pete Alonso of the New York Mets and Christian Walker of the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, it’s unknown if either the Mets or Diamondbacks will be willing to trade their sluggers as both teams are very much in the thick of the National League Wild Card race.
The Astros have also expressed an interest in a host of starting pitchers including the Mets' Luis Severino, the Chicago White Sox’s Garrett Crochet, the Detroit Tigers’ Jack Flaherty among others. Of course, at least half a dozen other teams are also interested in a deadline deal for all these same players
If Houston can’t address the necessary starting pitching and first base upgrades by stripping the Mets for parts or by adding one of the other big name trade chips on the market, the Astros might need to get a bit creative. In that spirit, here are two sneaky trade deadline candidates the Astros should consider targeting.
The Astros should go get the Rays' Yandy Diaz at the deadline
Having already declared an open interest in first basemen Alonso, Walker, Cody Bellinger of the Chicago Cubs and Andrew Vaughn of the White Sox, the Astros seem to have a pretty good idea of who they envision manning first for the team in the second half. However, another, sneakier name to consider is Yandy Diaz of the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Rays could be headed for a fire sale at the trade deadline and will listen to offers on pretty much all their players. Diaz could be a great fit for the Astros. The 32-year-old veteran is having a bit of a down year in 2024 with eight home runs, 46 RBI and a .726 OPS in 94 games. However, Diaz has built up a track record of being a very productive and reliable hitter. In 2023 he had 35 doubles, 22 homers, 78 RBI and 95 runs scored while batting a league-best .330. He posted an excellent .932 OPS, an OPS+ of 159 and 5.2 WAR en route to winning the Silver Slugger award, being selected to the All-Star game and finishing sixth in MVP voting.
If the Rays are entering a rebuild, they could be inclined to move on from Diaz. If so, he could pay dividends for the Astros, upgrading production at first base. He’s making a very reasonable $8 million this season and will earn $10 million next year before he has a $12 million team option in 2026.
Add the Angels’ Tyler Anderson to the rotation
The Astros covet a plethora of pitching talent. In addition to Severino, Crochet and Flaherty, the club has shown interest in the Toronto Blue Jays’ Chris Bassitt, Yusei Kikuchi and Kevin Gausman, the Colorado Rockies’ Cal Quantrill and Austin Gomber and the White Sox’s Erick Fedde. Most of those names are on multiple teams’ lists. If the Astros can add one of the top-line starters, more power to them.
However, if significant interest drives up the price on the pitchers Houston is pursuing, the team should consider the Los Angeles Angels’ Tyler Anderson. The lefty starter has been terrific for the Angels so far this season posting a 2.97 ERA, 1.169 WHIP, an ERA+ of 142 and 4.1 WAR in 118 innings pitched. He also made his second career All-Star team this year.
The Angels are mired in a miserable season and sit 10 games behind the first-place Seattle Mariners in the American League’s weakest division. They’re an even uglier 12.5 games back in the Wild Card standings. So Los Angeles should be willing to field all offers at the trade deadline. And Anderson would be more than just a second-half rental for the Astros.
The 34-year-old veteran is making $13 million in 2024 and is set to earn another $13 million next year before hitting free agency in 2026. So landing Anderson at the deadline would give the Astros two cracks at a championship with the hurler in the rotation. And $13 million a year is not too steep for an All-Star left-handed starter.
Houston has the third-highest payroll in baseball at a bit over $250 million, so the team is used to acquiring and paying for top-flight talent. But if they fail to land one of the big name trade chips on the market in their effort to upgrade the rotation and first base, the Astros could do much worse than Diaz and Anderson.
Follow Us
Subscribe
