Bell Still the Best Option for Houston Astros at Trade Deadline

The Houston Astros are going to be big buyers at this year’s trade deadline, and no option is a better fit than Washington Nationals slugger Josh Bell.

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The Houston Astros are one of the best teams in the American League. No one can deny that. They are on pace to win 105 games and are well on their way to a sixth-straight postseason appearance. 

But the Astros still have their flaws. No one can deny that either. While they are one of the best offensive teams in the sport, they are not quite on the same level as the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers, two World Series favorites. 

Houston ranks third in home runs and fifth in slugging percentage, but they are just 11th in on-base percentage and 18th in batting average. Against left-handed pitching, they have performed worse in nearly every category. 

To keep up with the very best teams and remain World Series contenders, the Astros cannot sit on their hands this trade deadline. They have to make moves to improve the big league roster, and no move makes more sense than trading for power-hitter Josh Bell.

The Washington Nationals slugger is one of the best pure hitters available on the trade market. His 145 wRC+ ranks 16th in all of baseball. He is a switch-hitter who performs well against right-handed and left-handed pitching. His .305 batting average and .389 OBP would be a huge boost in the middle of Houston's lineup.

Bell plays first base, a position the Astros have gotten very little production from all season. Yuli Gurriel has been a staple at first for years, but he is getting older and his bat has been a liability as of late. There is nowhere Houston needs an upgrade more than first base.

To make matters more interesting, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that Bell, "wouldn't mind" a trade to the Astros. His parents live a few hours away in Dallas, and he'd appreciate playing a little closer to his hometown. While Bell does not officially have any say in where he is traded, it could work in Houston's favor that he is open to such a move. 

However, while Bell seems to be the primary target for the Astros, the organization has also been linked to Willson Contreras in recent days. The three-time All-Star is another big bat who will be available at the trade deadline. 

Contreras would also provide a boost to Houston's lineup, but he is not a perfect fit. He plays catcher and designated hitter, two positions already filled by Martín Maldonado and Yordan Álvarez.

After Bell and Contreras, there aren't too many other options. Andrew Benintendi is off the market. Brandon Drury plays the wrong position. Trey Mancini isn't as much of an upgrade.

James Click will carefully be checking all his options in the coming days, that much is certain. But when all is said and done, no one is a better fit for the Astros than Bell. 

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