We are officially one week away from the MLB trade deadline, and the Astros certainly could use a boost to the starting rotation. And while a top of the rotation starter would be nice, it might not be necessary for this club.

The Astros need some fresh arms to come in and eat some innings, so a back of the rotation starter might do the trick.

With that in mind, we discussed some options the Astros might consider, posed by The Athletic's Chandler Rome.

White Sox RHP Chris Flexen (ERA over 5!), Colorado’s LHP Austin Gomber (4.70 ERA) and A's RHP Paul Blackburn (currently pitching rehab starts in the minors).

Clearly, these guys aren't going to impress anyone with their numbers this season, but that's one of the reasons they could be available.

What about the offense?

If the Astros are interested in adding a big time bat, Rome believes Rays infielder Isaac Paredes (age 25) could be a good fit with his ability to play multiple positions on the infield, including first and third base. Which could come in handy if the Astros move on from Alex Bregman after the season.

However, a move like this wouldn't come cheap as Paredes was an All-Star this year, and hit 31 bombs in 2023.

Pallilo Points

Our own Charlie Pallilo also threw out some names the 'Stros could consider. Which include: Angels LHP Tyler Anderson (2.91 ERA), White Sox RHP Eric Fedde, or Blue Jays starters Chris Bassitt (3.71 ERA, big salary next year) and Yusei Kikuchi (rental, 4.54 ERA).

Finally, if the squad can't find the right deal for a starter, would they consider adding two relievers to bolster the bullpen? And if so, could we see the return of Yimi Garcia?

Don't miss the video above for our full trade deadline preview!

*Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.