The Houston Astros, thought to be dead in the water just one month ago, are back in the thick of the AL West playoff race and are weighing their options at the MLB trade deadline.
The Astros are thought to have a wish list, and Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker is their dream target, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post:
“The Astros, now a clear threat to win the West yet again, seek a starter (or two) and a hitter (possibly a 1B if it’s a clear upgrade). Their dream target is thought to be Diamondbacks 1B Christian Walker, a free agent to be.”
As Heyman notes, Walker is set to be a free agent, so he would likely be a rental for the Astros or any other team that acquired him.
Walker likely helped his stock on Wednesday night, as he hit a go-ahead homer in the fourth inning and a three-run blast in the ninth — his 16th and 17th career shots at Dodger Stadium — and the Diamondbacks overcame a rough start to rout Los Angeles 12-4.
The Astros are still looking for some pop at first base after Jose Abreu got sent down to the minors to rework his swing before ultimately being released last month. That move came despite the first baseman still being owed $30 million on his contract. But with Houston's expectations and Abreu's overall performance, the general manager Dana Brown and Astros felt it was time to move on.
Astros back in the playoff hunt ahead of the MLB trade deadline
Everyone just expected the Astros to be contenders yet again in 2024. After all, they have been one of the top teams in baseball since 2017, making seven straight American League Championship Series appearances, four World Series appearances, and winning a pair of championships. But getting back to the postseason, at the very least, looked like a streak that was going to come to an end just last month.
After the first week of the 2024 season, the Astros had already fallen to 2-5. Before the month was out, a sweep by the Chicago Cubs put them at 7-19 and off to their worst start in 55 years. That first months' worth of games put them at 10-19 and then they just barely reached a winning record in May, going 15-14.
But the Astros had a red-hot June and have worked their way back into playoff contention. Houston is now 45-42 and just two games behind the Seattle Mariners for first place in the American League West standings. The team is also just two-and-a-half games behind the Kansas City Royals for the final AL Wild Card spot.
If the Astros are able to add another bat to their lineup, expect to see them playing in the postseason yet again in 2024.
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