MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
Here's what it might cost for Astros to pull off the impossible trade
Jul 10, 2023, 9:56 am
What it might cost for Astros to pull off the impossible trade!
With the All-Star break upon us, the Astros are two games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West, despite dealing with a ton of injuries. Another team fighting through injuries this year is the Angels, who are now seven games back in the division.
Mike Trout will miss the next 4-8 weeks (hamate bone surgery), so the Angels quickly have found themselves in position to possibly be sellers at the trade deadline.
If the Angels decide to trade Shohei Ohtani before he leaves in free agency at the end of the season, how much would the Astros have to trade for the Angels to be interested? Would Houston be willing to trade Hunter Brown, Yainer Diaz, and possibly Chas McCormick to bring Ohtani to Houston for a World Series run?
That feels like too much for a rental, but the Astros may have to compete with teams that have deeper farm systems, like the Rangers and Rays.
Be sure to check out the video above as we discuss possible trade packages, and share our thoughts on some other top pitchers that might be available at the deadline.
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And listen to The Bench with John Granato and Lance Zierlein weekday mornings on ESPN 97.5 and 92.5 FM.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.