Houston Astros showing interest in this National League slugger, per report
ASTROS HOT STOVE
22 July 2022
Expect GM James Click to be active before the deadline. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
The Houston Astros are coming off an impressive doubleheader sweep of the New York Yankees, but that doesn't mean they are going to sit on their hands with the trade deadline approaching. According to Andy Martino, he's hearing that the Astros have interest in adding 29-year-old Nationals first baseman Josh Bell to the mix.
Mets would like Josh Bell, while another league source says Astros pursuing him. https://t.co/APMZgNmljl
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) July 22, 2022
Soon to be a free agent, Josh Bell, has put together some impressive numbers this year and could certainly provide some "juice" to the Astros lineup. Bell is currently slashing .311/.390/.504 with 13 dingers and an OPS of .895.
Bell would be a welcomed addition to the ball club, considering 1st baseman Yuli Gurriel's steep decline this season after leading the league in batting average in 2021.
Yuli is currently hitting .235 with an OPS of .671. Gurriel finished last season hitting a league-leading .319 and will be a free agent after this year.
Astros GM James Click has until August 2 to make some improvements before the trade deadline passes. You can check out some of Bell's highlights from this season below.
Astros show signs of life in blowout win over Brewers
May 7, 2025, 3:25 pm
Framber Valdez pitched seven strong innings and Jeremy Peña homered and drove in four runs as the Houston Astros defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 9-1 on Wednesday.
Houston earned just its second victory in seven games to snap Milwaukee’s three-game winning streak and leave both teams with .500 records. The Brewers were attempting to sweep a series from the Astros for the first time since 2012.
The Astros led 3-1 before Peña broke the game open by delivering a three-run homer to left off reliever Elvin Rodriguez with two outs in the sixth inning.
JP3-run bomb. #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/En0XXWdlt0
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 7, 2025
Valdez (2-4) struck out seven while allowing three hits, two walks and one run to earn his first win since the Astros’ March 27 season opener. He threw a season-high 101 pitches.
The Framchise is all business.#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/J8EGGDk5gl
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 7, 2025
Milwaukee’s only run off Valdez came on Eric Haase’s fifth-inning homer, a 425-foot drive to center.
The Astros took a 1-0 lead off Quinn Priester (1-1) in the second inning as Jake Meyers hit a two-out single and scored on Zach Dezenzo’s double.
RBI double for Zach gets us on the board early! #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/AilCY27A9d
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 7, 2025
The Brewers have lost all 13 games this season in which their opponent scored first.
Five-time All-Star closer Josh Hader worked the ninth while pitching in Milwaukee for the first time since the Brewers traded him in 2022.
Key moment
The Astros led 1-0 and had runners on third and second with one out in the fifth when Peña hit a bouncer to third.
Safe all day. #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/OVjcvev7cM
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 7, 2025
The throw home beat Dezenzo to the plate. Home plate umpire Chris Conroy initially ruled Dezenzo out, but the Astros challenged the call and replays showed the runner slid home ahead of Haase’s tag.
Key stat
Valdez has now pitched at least seven innings an MLB-leading 57 times since 2020.
Up next
The Astros host the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. Scheduled pitchers are right-hander Hunter Brown (5-1, 1.67) for the Astros and right-hander Nick Martinez (1-3, 4.19) for the Reds.
The Brewers visit the Tampa Bay Ray on Friday. Left-hander José Quintana (4-1, 2.83) will pitch for the Brewers.
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