The Houston Astros have a dynasty to keep alive. Last year, they broke a seven-year streak of making the ALCS when they lost to the Detroit Tigers in the Wild Card round. Then, they lost Alex Bregman and traded Kyle Tucker over the offseason. They have not hit the ground running through April and will likely make some adjustments. How can the Astros help Jose Altuve and the whole team at the MLB trade deadline?

Altuve has not gotten off to a great start for the Astros this year. He has been playing left field for the first extended period in his career, and he asked to leave the lead-off spot because of it. Additionally, his offensive stats have dipped significantly. He has a .260 batting average, 679 OPS, four homers, and 14 RBIs. They can supplement the lineup and help the defense at the trade deadline in multiple ways.

Who can the Astros pick up at the MLB trade deadline? How will it help Altuve? And how can they rise from the pack to win the AL West again?

The Astros should be filling the outfield need

Minnesota Twins left fielder Harrison Bader (12) rounds third base en route to scoring during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field.
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Astros are not putting Altuve in left field because they are making way for a superstar. They do not have enough outfielders to properly supplement their defense. But that does not mean sacrificing the best lead-off hitter of a generation to play left field. That means they should make a trade for an outfielder who is elite defensively and has been raking this year. Harrison Bader of the Minnesota Twins should be on the Astros' radar.

Bader has been fantastic defensively, as usual, and has been dominant offensively. With a .280 average and .781 OPS, he would be the catalyst Houston's offense needs. He has been a fantastic addition to the Twins' lineup and should dominate offensively and defensively at the Crawford Boxes. His best moments as a Yankee came against the Astros in the 2022 ALCS when he went 6-15 in a Houston sweep. Now, he can join the other side of the rivalry.

The Twins should be looking to sell off any veterans that other teams are willing to pay for. They have been off to a miserable start, and things are not going to get better by keeping 30-year-old outfielders on the roster. This deal would benefit both sides as the American League standings settle into place.

Getting a new second baseman for the future

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Part of the failure of the Altuve-left field experiment is the lack of production from second base. Brendan Rodgers and Mauricio Dubon are not elite prospects that they are trying to make room for. So the Astros can add a bona fide offensive threat at second base to help their lineup. If the Tampa Bay Rays trade Brandon Lowe, Houston should be first in line to snag him.

Lowe has never been a high-average hitter, but would fit in perfectly in Houston. His power and solid glove at second base would help the Astros make another push in the American League. He has been a dominant member of the Rays' lineup for the past seven years, posting over a 100 OPS+ in each year. Plus, he plays a solid second base defensively. Even though righties usually dominate at Daikun Park, the Astros should take a chance on this lefty.

Trading with the Rays is always risky, as their front office is known for finding diamonds in the prospect rough. The Astros did just get Cam Smith from the Tucker trade, so as long as they don't deal him, this could be a smart move regardless.

Everyone needs a starting pitcher

The Astros have the AL Cy Young favorite through the first month of the season with Hunter Brown. He has a 1.22 ERA through his first six starts and has continued his excellent finish to 2024. But behind him, they do not have elite depth. Both Spencer Arrighetti and Ronel Blanco have an ERA over 5.00, meaning the Astros could make a move for a pitcher.

Erick Fedde is almost sure to be traded by the St Louis Cardinals. As they hand the baseball operations off to Chaim Bloom, they will look to get pending free agents off the books at the trade deadline. That should include Fedde, who has been slightly better than Arrighetti and Blanco. He was excellent with the White Sox last year and should be better with a solid defense behind him.

The Astros gave up a haul of prospects to land Yusei Kikuchi last year. He was phenomenal for them despite posting poor numbers in Toronto to start the year. If they believe they can tap into something similar with Fedde, this is a move worth making.