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The Houston Astros were one of Major League Baseball's active teams at the trade deadline. Houston pulled off arguably the biggest deal of the day, reuniting with former All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa. However, the Astros walk away with one regret. Joe Espada will have to rely on Cristian Javier and others instead of San Diego Padres starter Dylan Cease.
Cease had multiple teams interested in him at the deadline, including Houston. However, the Padres did not receive an offer good enough to move the star. For teams around the league that needed starting pitching, there were not many better options available on the market. However, San Diego chose to keep him and add him to a starting rotation featuring new additions.
The Astros' pitching staff has been the subject of a lot of drama this season. Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez have dominated for Espada for months. However, the depth behind them is questionable to say the best. While most of that is due to injuries, Houston is not as confident in its pitching this season as they are accustomed to being.
For a team that has seen top-tier pitching guide them to multiple World Series titles, the Astros understand the importance of pitching. Not caving to the Padres' demands for Cease puts a lot of pressure on players like Javier to return from the injured list and not skip a beat. It is definitely a possibility, but Houston has very little room for error with the trade deadline passed.
Cease solves a lot of Espada's pitching problems. If nothing else, he would have given the Astros another starter to eat innings while the rest of the staff recovers. Not trading for him could come back to haunt Houston in a playoff series this fall.
Cease's value will never be lower
For a pitcher with multiple top five Cy Young Award finished in the last five years, Cease's talent has few equals in the league. However, it appears that his lows are as extreme as his highs. The veteran carries a 3-10 record into his next start, one of the worst marks in the league. He remains one of the league leaders in strikeouts, but his struggles are apparent.
No matter how he plays, Cease is a highly valuable pitcher. His playoff experience leaves a lot to be desired, but managers around the league understand how effective he can be in the right situation. Unfortunately, 2025 has not been kind to Cease. When the Padres lost Michael King to injury, the spotlight shifted over to him. As hard as he has tried, it has not been a good campaign.
Cease was available at the trade deadline for a reason. San Diego wanted to go all-in on a championship run and did so. However, they were willing to lose their No. 2 starter in order to make space for newcomers. Despite the fact that he was on the table, trade talks involving Cease never materialized into anything real. The Padres now hope that he will eventually break out of his slump.
Cease's struggles lowered his price tag in trade. If there was ever a time to acquire him at a discount, it was the 2025 trade deadline. While Espada and his roster have full faith in Dana Brown and the Astros front office, they can't help but wonder why Houston would not splurge for Cease. Adding him would have taken their rotation from average to elite at the right time.
Houston's reinforcements are a mixed bag
Brown and Valdez have anchored Espada's rotation. Outside of them, starters have come in and out throughout the regular season. Astros legend Lance McCullers Jr. could not get back on track when he returned from missing multiple years. Now that Houston did not add a starter at the trade deadline, their hopes now lie with Javier and Spencer Arrighetti.
Both pitchers have been recovering from injuries for the majority of the season. Arrighetti is in the middle of a rehab assignment, as is Javier. Each of them could have their return to the major leagues sooner than they expected. If they come back in early August, they have about a month and a half to get back into a rhythm before the postseason begins.
As it stands, the Astros have a 3.5 game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the American League West. Amid the drama of Houston's latest scandal, the team is dealing with their fair share of distractions. However, their pitching is not as consistent as it needs to be to soothe the other worries circling around the team. Cease would have helped them in more ways than one.
The trade deadline is all about knowing when to take risks. Houston took a big swing with Correa, but their biggest need remains untouched. If Javier and Arrighetti come back strong, there is little to be worried about. If they don't the Astros could find themselves heading home after a disappointing playoff performance for the second consecutive season.
