Houston Astros Urged to Pursue Two 'Sneaky' Trade Targets

Ahead of the MLB trade deadline, two "sneaky" trade targets have been suggested for the Houston Astros.

Apr 21, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Houston Astros hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the fifth inning at Truist Park / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros are ready to get the second half of the 2024 MLB season underway. They will do so with a 50-46 record and a legitimate chance of working their way into the playoffs.

Despite going through major adversity on the injury front, the Astros have found ways to win. At this point in the year, they are just one game back in the American League West division and are three and a half games back in the Wild Card race.

With the way they have played and their record, it seems likely that Houston will be a buyer ahead of the trade deadline.

Dana Brown, the general manager for the Astros, has openly talked about a being a buyer.

Keeping that in mind, ClutchPoints has suggested two "sneaky" trade targets that Houston should pursue. Those two players are the Tampa Bay Rays' Yandy Diaz and Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Tyler Anderson.

Diaz would be a solid first base upgrade for the Astros. He has played in 94 games this season with the Rays, batting .273/.329/.396 to go along with eight home runs and 46 RBI. Those numbers would be a good addition to the Houston lineup.

On the pitching front, Anderson would fill a valuable role for the Astros' rotation. He has started in 19 games for the Angels, compiling an 8-8 record, a 2.97 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and 81 strikeouts in 118.0 innings. He's not a star, but he's the kind of steady starter that every rotation needs.

Houston needs to address first base and starting pitching the most. These two players would fill those needs without costing the Astros a major price in return.

While they could opt to swing bigger on a trade for a star, making "sneaky" moves would make sense as well.

If they want to pursue a star, they have been heavily connected to Vladimir Guerrero Jr on the first base front. As for starting pitching, names like Garrett Crochet have been thrown around as possible targets for the Astros.

Expect to hear Houston get connected in quite a few trade rumors over the next week and a half. They are close to being a legitimate playoff team. A move or two, whether they're for a star or not, could help them get to that level.