The next big event for Major League Baseball is the July 30 trade deadline.
Teams are gearing up, deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold onto their players. We’re diving into what specific teams should do before the deadline hits.
Today, we’re focusing on the Houston Astros. They’re currently tied with the Mariners for first place in the American League West and are looking to make some moves.
What They Need
A few months ago, it seemed like the Astros might be sellers. On May 8, they were 12 games under .500 and their playoff hopes looked dim. But then they went on a hot streak: a 17-8 record in June and a 10-6 mark so far in July. Now, they have an 81% chance of making the playoffs in 2024 according to SportsLine. So they’re definitely buyers now.
Their top priority is fixing their injured rotation. Justin Verlander (neck), Luis Garcia (Tommy John surgery), Cristian Javier (elbow surgery), Lance McCullers Jr., and José Urquidy are all out right now. Even if Verlander and Garcia come back strong , they’ll still need more help behind ace Framber Valdez.
On offense, Kyle Tucker will soon return from his leg injury. Jon Singleton has been solid at first base but could use a partner to share duties.
Possible Trade Targets
The Astros are close to hitting the second luxury-tax threshold which means bigger penalties if they go over it. Whether owner Jim Crane wants to spend more will affect GM Dana Brown’s choices at this deadline.
This season, Jack Flaherty has an FIP of 3.16 in 17 starts with a strikeout rate of 32.4%. Though there are concerns about his health and durability, he could be a good fit given that Verlander and Garcia might return soon too.
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>< /player-snippet-info Erick Fedde Fedde has improved since returning from Korea with a new pitch mix and better stats overall.
Yusei Kikuchi has also been pitching well with a FIP of 3.60 in his starts this year.
Fans may wonder if these moves will push them over the top.
What They Can Give Up
The Astros don’t have a super strong farm system right now due to years of being contenders.
They’d rather not trade Jacob Melton but other young talents like Jake Bloss or Spencer Arrighetti could be options.
There’s enough here for them to get some mid-to-back-end rotation help.
So what do you think? Should they go all-in?
