Three Players Who Could Help Turn Things Around for Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are on a skid, here are three impact players the team could trade for at the deadline.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros have lost five games in a row after getting swept by the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend and then dropping Monday's contest to the New York Mets. 

This is not the same squad the Astros put together last season that moonwalked to a World Series championship. 

It's still a very talented roster, but there is a need for supplemental support if Houston hopes to achieve the vaunted World Series repeat. 

Luckily, the Astros have a strong rotation that still leads the league in ERA. Between Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier and Hunter Brown they form a formidable trio at the top. 

But another reliable starter could help bolster their chances down the stretch and into the postseason. 

Where the real need for an impact player is needed is on the offense. 

Getting Yordan Alvarez back from injury will assuredly help. But reinforcements will be needed. 

Here are three impact players the Astros should pursue to help bolster their postseason chances. 

SP Kyle Hendricks, Chicago Cubs

The Cubs are likely to do a bit of both buying and selling at the MLB trade deadline. They have plenty of young players under control for the foreseeable future while also employing some elite talent like Dansby Swanson. But they will likely want to move veteran players on expiring deals. 

One of those is starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks.

Hendricks has returned from injury this season after missing almost a year of action. His first starts looked rusty, but in his last two starts has allowed just two earned runs in 13.0 innings pitched. 

Those starts came on the heels of Hendricks informing the team he would start calling his own pitches based on feel. It's worked.

Hendricks is earning $14 million in 2023 and has a club option for 2024 of $16 million or a $1.5 million buyout. 

He would be a reliable arm in the rotation and could help for two postseason runs if the Astros elect to pickup his 2024 option. 

Considering age, injury history and his contract he could conceivably come at a cheaper prospect price than some of the other options that will be on the market. 

OF/1B Cody Bellinger, Cubs

Another Cubs player yes, but making multiple trades with the same team at the trade deadline is not unheard of, nor is it even rare. Just look at the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Angels last season. 

Bellinger is a player that can play all three outfield positions and first base. In fact, he is a Gold Glover. Additionally, Bellinger has seen a resurgence this season at the plate after two down seasons. 

Slashing .258/.324/.465 with seven home runs this season, Bellinger would be an excellent player to provide cover in left, center and first base. It would also help solve the solution to the problem that is Jose Abreu. 

Bellinger will be a free agent after the season, so he would purely be a rental.

1B Darick Hall, Philadelphia Phillies

Hall just recently returned from the 60-day injured list after suffering a sprained thumb earlier in the season. Immediately upon reinstatement he was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. 

When Rhys Hoskins tore his ACL in Spring Training, Hall was the favorite to receive the majority of playing time at first base for the Phillies. He too then got injured and Philadelphia turned to Alec Bohm and Kody Clemens for help at the position. 

Both of those players have stepped up and solidified their places. Include the fact that Bryce Harper could soon be playing first base and it leaves Hall with few options.

Hall is a career .247/.280/.494 hitter but he mashes the baseball with unprecedented power. His downside is that he has trouble hitting against left-handed pitching. 

Houston could acquire Hall for a relatively cheap price and platoon him at first base and DH when facing right-handed pitching. 

The Phillies firmly believed he could step up and help the team, it could be worth a fairly low-risk option for Houston. 

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