The Houston Astros missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016 last year. Even with Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa around, they could not recreate their old magic. The Astros are now expected to lose Framber Valdez in free agency and are looking to add pitching in a trade. The Athletic's Chandler Rome has more on who they could trade in search of a starter.
“…Multiple sources said Houston believes its best avenue to acquire an established starting pitcher is via trade. There is considerable interest from other teams in both center fielder Jake Meyers and right fielder Jesús Sánchez, though Sánchez’s dismal performance after the trade deadline may impact his value,” Rome reported.
The Jake Meyers trade conversation has been out there in the early stages of the offseason. According to reports, both the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets are in the conversation. At the same time, the Mets are considering Valdez as a free-agent option and could trade Kodai Senga.
The Phillies do not have the obvious pitching candidate to trade as the Mets do. That is especially true if they lose Ranger Suarez in free agency, which is possible. With Zach Wheeler's season-ending injury from 2025 still looming, they do not have a pitching surplus to give the Astros.
The Astros traded for Jesús Sánchez at the deadline, but he did not live up to the expectations he set with the Miami Marlins. Flipping him in the offseason would not lead to as good a pitcher as trading Meyers would get. Even with Hayden Wesneski coming back from injury and Hunter Brown turning into a star, they need a pitcher.
The Astros need a remodel to get back to the ALCS, where they lived for so long. Despite the surging Seattle Mariners, Houston cannot be counted out in the AL West.
