Today is the day, the MLB Trade Deadline is almost here as teams across Major League Baseball have until 6:00 PM ET on Thursday to get their trades in. One team to watch on the final day is the Houston Astros, who are looking to strengthen their pitching to gear up for a run to the postseason. San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease was a name that was floated around for a while, but now it sounds like a more realistic option is Miami Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara.

Adding Sandy Alcantara to the rotation ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline would be huge for the Astros. Houston is already one of the better teams in baseball this season, and a move like this could put the team over the top as the postseason nears.

“The Houston Astros are now engaged in trade discussions with the Miami Marlins for ace Sandy Alcantara after talks with the San Diego Padres for starter Dylan Cease have cooled,” Bob Nightengale said in a post.

The Astros seem to be exploring both options, but there are other teams that are going after these guys as well. Winning the bidding war isn't going to be easy.

“The Houston Astros are in the mix for Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara, as well as San Diego Padres righty Dylan Cease, according to a source briefed on their discussions,” Ken Rosenthal said in a report. “Club officials, however, fear that they might get outbid for both pitchers, given the competitive state of the market.”

We will know soon enough if the Astros do end up adding another arm to their arsenal. So far on the season, Houston is 62-47 and in first place in the AL West. The Astros are currently five games up on the Seattle Mariners for first place in the division.