Proposed Blockbuster Houston Astros Trade Lands AL Cy Young Favorite
The Houston Astros are in need of pitching help ahead of the MLB trade deadline, and a proposed deal would land them one of the best in the league.
Zach Pressnell of FanSided put together a package of prospects that would bring Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal into town.
The Astros would send over outfielder Jacob Melton, shortstop Brice Matthews, right-handed pitcher Jose Fleury and outfielder Colin Barber.
There's not much to say about Skubal outside of the fact he's one of the best pitchers in baseball right now. He's sporting a sub-3.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with double digit strikeouts per nine for a second straight season.
He's the current favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award, which would be his first.
If the Tigers do not plan on paying the southpaw when they lose control after the 2026 season, it would make sense to trade him now for a large haul of prospects. This is the type of package that could make them at least think about moving their ace.
Melton is the No. 1 prospect in Houston's farm and their only Top 100 player in the pipeline. He has a speed and power combo that would be enticing for almost any GM in the league.
Last season, he hit 23 home runs and swiped 46 bags across High-A and Double-A. His numbers have gone down a bit this year, but he still is slashing .250/.315/.426.
Matthews was the Astros' first round selection last year and has torn the minor leagues up at the plate this season with a slash line of .333/.444/.559, six home runs and 16 stolen bases. He's another guy that flashes both power and speed. His last college year was a 20-20 season with an OPS of 1.204.
At just 22 years old, he could be a highly coveted prospect despite not being in the Top 100.
Fleury is the No. 8 overall prospect in Houston's pipeline, and second-highest ranked pitcher in their farm. He's a high-strikeout guy that could be a mid-rotation starter in the future if he can improve his breaking ball. He doesn't overwhelm with speed, but has a good bit of movement on his fastball.
Barber isn't the same level of prospect as these other guys, but he still is ranked in their top 20. He projects as a solid rotational corner outfielder.
This would be the type of trade worth emptying out the farm for the Astros.
Not only would they be landing one of the top arms in the league, but they also get years of club control, something they desperately need going forward with so many big contracts on their books.
DYLAN SANDERS
Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders