Houston Astros Star Connected As Possible Cubs Trade Target
As the 2024 MLB trade deadline creeps closer and closer, the Houston Astros are continuing to become a more intriguing team to watch.
The Astros are going to be one of the teams that decides how the deadline will go. Will they look to be buyers? Could they consider selling off some of their talent?
No one knows what direction general manager Dana Brown will end up going. However, if they're open to trading some of their players, teams will be lining up with interest.
One of the most talked about players ahead of the deadline is Houston third baseman Alex Bregman.
While it may seem likely that the Astros will hold onto Bregman, they could consider trading him for the right price. Bregman is 30 years old and isn't getting any younger. Moving him for some elite young talent could make sense if Houston chooses to look at the long-term picture.
Should Bregman become available, the Astros would have a long list of teams making phone calls.
One of those teams would likely be the Chicago Cubs, who have pondered the idea of upgrading their third base position over Christopher Morel. A trade for Bregman could be something that the Cubs are interested in pursuing if they want to push to compete this season.
According to Bleacher Report analyst Robbie Hyde, Chicago could make sense as a Bregman trade suitor.
“Christopher Morel hasn’t been able to get it fully going this year. He’s shown flashes, but maybe the Cubs could be an answer there (to trade for Bregman).”
Bregman has put together a solid all-around 2024 campaign thus far.
The star third baseman has played in 70 games with Houston, batting .241/.305/.398 to go along with nine home runs and 33 RBI. He is still a quality defender as well.
As for the Cubs, they are one of the teams rich with young talent. If the Astros were to want to rebuild a bit and angle for a brighter future, trading with Chicago could yield a nice return.
Only time will tell what ends up happening with Houston ahead of the trade deadline. The Astros might choose to buy talent in an attempt to win now. Or, they could opt to open up trade talks involving players like Bregman and Kyle Tucker.
For now, all fans can do is wait and see what happens. Houston has plenty of options and they're in charge of their own destiny at this point in time with nothing forcing them in either direction.
EVAN MASSEY
Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers both the NFL and NBA. He has worked for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net, and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.