Houston Astros Must Address Three Big Areas At Trade Deadline

The Houston Astros must be major spenders in three areas at the MLB trade deadline to keep repeat World Series hopes alive.

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown made his strategy clear for the August 1 Major League Baseball trade deadline. 

"We're going to be aggressive in the front office to give manager Dusty (Baker) what he needs downstairs to win games," Brown told radio host Sean Salisbury Wednesday. "We're going to have to do what we're going to have to do."

Houston is not in a bad position. They sit 2.5 games back in the American League West behind the Texas Rangers with a record of 32-22.

With a team as talented as the Astros, Brown and the rest of the organization know they can't waste the chance to be the first repeat World Series champions since the New York Yankees in 1999.

Securing a postseason berth is likely but another Commissioner's Trophy is the goal. 

Houston will do anything to make that happen and Brown is not afraid of making big moves to win.

With that mindset, there are three big areas of concern Houston has to address to make the postseason push.

Bolstering Postseason Rotation

A number of injuries hit the Astros' pitching staff in recent months. Right-hander Luis Garcia is out after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Rotation mainstay Lance McCullers Jr. suffered a setback in his return to the mound. And Jose Urquidy figures to be out for another month or so with a shoulder injury.

Right-handers Brandon Bielak (2-2, 3.19 ERA, 1.45 WHIP) and J.P. France (1-1, 4.00 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) have been solid since Baker put them into his starting rotation. 

Having three starting pitchers capable of pitching in a playoff game in October is key. Houston makes deep postseason runs often enough to need to have a rotation capable of staying the course. 

The trade deadline could fix that. 

The Chicago White Sox have three pitchers available to trade: right-handers Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease and Lance Lynn.

Cease is the better of the three for Houston, given his impressive strikeout totals. He finished second in the 2022 AL Cy Young race. 

In 62.2 innings this season, he's 3-3 with a 4.88 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. While he boasts 68 strikeouts this season, walks are an issue for him. On walks per nine innings, Cease is 4.16/9 compared to 3.82/9 in 2022. 

However, the prospect cost for Cease may be too much for Houston.

Cease has two years remaining on his contract after 2023. The cost of acquiring the right-hander is likely prohibitive for the Astros.

Giolito is the more secure rental option for Houston. He has six quality starts this season, tied for 15th among all MLB pitchers, and has a 3.98 ERA with 64 strikeouts and 19 walks.

He is currently an undervalued option on the trade market. The Astros taking him before teams become desperate for pitching help in July is wise. 

Other potential fits: RHP Tyler Glasnow, Tampa Bay Rays or LHP Drew Smyly, Chicago Cubs

Adding Power Bats to the Lineup

Strong bats help teams in October and Houston would be amiss if they didn't add one before August. Miami Marlins right-fielder Jorge Soler needs to be on their radar.

Soler posted a .882 OPS with 14 home runs in 55 games during his time with the Atlanta Braves. He also was the 2021 World Series MVP. 

In Miami, Soler is off to a solid start this season. He's slashing .250/.330/.555 with 17 home runs. Houston needs runs and power. The 31-year-old fits the bill. 

His postseason experience will be key for a team that makes deep runs like Houston.

However, Soler is under contract for $12 million a year for the next two years. His bat just may be worth meeting the Marlins' asking price in order for Houston to bolster their chances of a consecutive World Series. 

Other potential fits: C.J. Cron, 1B, Colorado Rockies, Javier Báez, SS, Detroit Tigers

Consistency for Infield Needs

After addressing the hitters for the lineup, it's worth also looking at securing different positions. 

Looking at the infield, Houston needs someone in the lineup other than super utility player Mauricio Dubón. In his career, he's played 2,054 defensive innings as a Major Leaguer. Dubón has started in six different positions.

The Astros need someone who also can play first base and left field. Dubón isn't a natural option.

First baseman José Abreu inked a three-year, $58.5 million contract prior to the start of the 2023 MLB season. However, Abreu isn't producing the way Houston needs. 

He's hit two home runs in his past 451 plate appearances, a streak dating back to Aug. 3, 2022. Abreu is slashing .214/.276/.264 with two homers and 20 RBI. Baker doesn't want to bench veteran players and places a premium on their track records.

Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron. is a potential trade solution. Cron has a contract of $7.25 million in 2023 and he's a free agent after.

Currently, he's slashing 236/.291/.439 with six home runs and 17 RBI. Cron's low salary and high slugging potential will intrigue a lot of suitors. 

It would be drastic to trade for Cron and bench Abreu to boost their postseason hopes. 

Yet, it's not unlikely if Abreu's production stays low. 

Other potential fits: Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks 

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