Why the Astros should have these priority trade targets in their sights
Jul 5, 2024, 10:39 am
The Astros need another starting pitcher. Composite Getty Image.
With three and a half weeks to Major League Baseball’s July 30 trade deadline, the Astros’ stampede from 10 games back to within two games of impotent and staggering Seattle in the American League West obviously changes their approach. The Astros were a couple of bad weeks from needing to enter sell mode but that is delightfully completely off the table. As in, gone is any notion of getting what you can for Alex Bregman before losing him for nothing but a compensatory draft pick. General Manager Dana Brown will have failed if he does not add a starting pitcher. Just remember, Brown could fail at the deadline but still have his team win the West or nab a Wild Card spot. Meanwhile, if Mariners’ cheapo ownership doesn’t authorize taking on significant salary for some hitting and/or GM Jerry Dipoto doesn’t acquire same, they should be run out of the Emerald City.
The Astros should be in hard for a decent starter such as Colorado’s Cal Quantrill. Counting on Luis Garcia to come back and pitch very well is hope, not smart expectation. Counting on Lance McCullers to come back at all should probably be regarded as hope, not expectation. Justin Verlander’s status is very up in the air. Unless Spencer Arrighetti’s command makes a sudden leap in quality, he is not a quality starter. Ronel Blanco and Hunter Brown are carrying the rotation. Imagine uttering that sentence in March! Both guys are on course to blow past previous professional highs in innings pitched. Does their excellence hold up? Framber Valdez is yielding too many big innings, but overall remains a critical contributor.
A bunch of other playoff hopefuls have much better farm systems than the Astros and can dangle more highly regarded prospects as trade bait, but we’re not talking about Justin Verlander or Zack Greinke level acquisitions. If the White Sox are to deal Garrett Crochet, who is under team control through 2026, the Astros don’t have the goods to make a winning offer. For the ChiSox’ Erik Fedde? Make an offer and see what happens. Fedde is signed for next year at seven and a half million dollars. I mentioned Quantrill earlier. He makes just over six and a half mil this year and is arbitration eligible for 2025.
Yordan is on fire!
It seemed impossible at the time that Yordan Alvarez mustered just two home runs and four runs batted in for the entire month of May. In June he exceeded those totals on the third, and basically hasn’t stopped pounding away since. In his last 27 games the Cuban Missile Launcher is batting .367, has mashed 10 homers, and driven in 27 runs. That’s easy math to extrapolate over 162 games: 60 homers and 162 runs batted in. Not coincidentally the Astros’ offense has taken off with him. After what he did in Toronto this week it would be understandable if the Blue Jays tried to have Yordan’s passport temporarily voided next season to keep him out of Canada. Having just turned 27 last week, Alvarez is on an early Hall of Fame track. Yet amazingly, in this his fourth full season in the Major Leagues, Aaron Judge has been better than Alvarez in all of them. Of course, Astros fans can giddily taunt Yankees fans by asking “Would you like to compare their postseason performances?”
Speaking of amazing, that fairly summarizes Jose Altuve’s career, which has another banner season in progress and a ninth All-Star selection to show for it. Altuve is within three of the record for most All-Star teams made as a second baseman. Hall of Famers Nellie Fox and Roberto Alomar were each picked 12 times, Joe Morgan and Ryne Sandberg 10. It should be noted that the All-Star game didn’t come into being until 1933, so all-time greats like Rogers Hornsby and Eddie Collins couldn’t rack up selections. Back to Altuve. He last reached 170 hits in a season in his 2017 Most Valuable Player Award campaign. He is on pace for 203 hits this season. Still, Joe Espada needs to be mindful of giving Altuve some days off through the dog days of summer. Somewhat bizarrely, after two strikeouts to go with two hits Thursday, Altuve is on pace to strike out a whopping 137 times this season. Altuve’s career high in strikeouts is 91. I say somewhat bizarrely in that it is explainable. Altuve swings harder much more frequently than he did in his younger days. That brings more swing and miss. Also, at 34 years old while still fabulous, Altuve is more vulnerable to whiffing on breaking balls. Jeff Bagwell’s career-worst strikeout season was 135, Lance Berkman’s 125, Carlos Lee’s 94. It’s a different era.
No Tucker, no problem
Kyle Tucker has now missed more than a month since not suffering “major damage” when he fouled a ball off his right shin. I wouldn’t call the best player on the team being out more than a month “minor damage.” Anyway, it makes the Astros’ offensive surge much more impressive that it has occurred with Tucker not a part of it. The time lost probably cost Tucker a first time selection as an All-Star Game starter. Judge and Juan Soto were two obvious American League outfielder choices. Tucker had been the obvious third, but missing what is now 30 percent of the Astros’ schedule played to date ended that. His overall numbers are still stout enough that Tucker should be named a reserve for a third year in a row, though there is zero chance of him playing in the game. Cleveland’s Steven Kwan has been outstanding and won the vote for the third slot, though he has actually played only 59 games vs. Tucker’s 60. Boston’s Jarren Duran clearly should be the third AL outfield starter.
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How Houston Rockets hold the cards for a franchise-changing summer
May 8, 2025, 5:45 pm
In Houston, the winning standard has been set so high that anything short of World Series contention now feels like failure. And yet, the 2025 Astros find themselves at an unfamiliar crossroads—caught between the fading brilliance of past stars and the uncertain promise of what comes next.
Jose Altuve is at the center of this issue. His early struggles (-0.5 WAR) may indicate more than just a temporary slump. And when he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had just endured a grueling 33-pitch inning on Sunday, it raised a bigger question: who has the influence to talk to Altuve?
The Astros’ culture has long been praised for its accountability, but who inside the clubhouse has the standing to challenge or counsel Altuve or other vets when needed? With so many veteran voices gone, there’s a growing sense that no one does—and that’s a problem. That’s why the idea of bringing back Michael Brantley—not as a player, but as a respected voice—could make some sense. Brantley was always viewed as a quiet leader, and his presence could restore some of the guidance this roster desperately needs.
Batter up?
While the Astros have built a reputation for reviving pitchers' careers, their track record with hitters is far less impressive. There are few, if any, examples of a bat joining Houston and unlocking a new level. That failure in development becomes especially stark when considering how much they’re currently leaning on homegrown youth.
Which brings us to Zach Dezenzo. The 24-year-old rookie is showing he belongs—his .737 OPS makes him one of the more productive bats in a lineup that desperately needs stability while Yordan Alvarez nurses an injury. While Victor Caratini provides the Astros with the ability to switch hit, he's hitting just .217. Dezenzo should be starting every day in left, with Yordan out. Jose Altuve, who has already played too many innings this year, should be shifted to DH duties to ease his physical burden. The Astros should go with Cam Smith in right and keep Jake Meyers in center to round out the outfield.
GM Dana Brown has made clear that he views Dezenzo as a first baseman or left fielder for the future. So why not get him in the lineup while Yordan's out and see what he can do with consistent playing time?
Of course, losing Yordan Alvarez is always going to hurt. But the numbers tell a surprising story. Yordan currently holds a -0.4 WAR, right there alongside Altuve and Christian Walker as the only Astros with negative marks. On paper, the team hasn’t lost much production. But let’s not kid ourselves—Yordan’s mere presence alters how opponents pitch to this team. The lineup without him lacks fear factor, and the margins get razor-thin.
Speaking of margins, one move that may haunt this front office is the decision to sign Christian Walker. The veteran first baseman is hitting just .205 with a .617 OPS—far below the level expected from a player earning $20 million annually through 2027. Compare that to Jon Singleton, who posted better numbers in 2024 and currently boasts an .880 OPS in Triple-A with the Mets organization. Walker's defense is strong, but it's hard to argue that justifies the price tag. Singleton might not be a Gold Glover, or anything close, but he came much cheaper and was quietly more productive with the bat.
No regrets?
There’s also a broader question looming: if fans had known that Altuve’s massive contract extension would potentially cost the team the ability to re-sign current MVP candidates Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, would they still have supported the deal? Hindsight is cruel, but with Altuve’s decline and Tucker and Bregman thriving, it’s a fair debate. Houston might have paid for the past instead of securing its future.
Big deals on the horizon?
All eyes now turn to owner Jim Crane. This winter, Houston's payroll will have considerable room to maneuver. But will Crane commit to restocking the lineup with All-Star-caliber bats, or will his reluctance to offer long-term deals keep the Astros stuck in a holding pattern? It’s one thing to let players walk. It’s another to fail to replace them.
The Astros still have the bones of a contender, but the road back to dominance is getting steeper. The team can’t simply rely on what used to work. It’s time for difficult conversations, bold lineup changes, and a rethinking of how this organization develops—and retains—offensive talent.
We have so much more to get to. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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