The Astros have played their way back into the conversation, and now their trade deadline priorities are starting to come into focus.
Houston was sitting at 33-41 on June 15, but a 15-7 stretch over its last 22 games has pulled the club back into the mix in both the AL West and the Wild Card race. The Astros are now 2.0 games behind the Seattle Mariners in the division and 1.5 games behind the Texas Rangers for a Wild Card spot. That kind of run doesn’t erase the rough start, but it does put the Astros in position to buy before the August 3 MLB Trade Deadline.
General manager Dana Brown has already given a pretty clear outline of what he wants to add. In an interview with Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Brown said he is looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder and possibly a right-handed reliever.
The left-handed bat makes sense given where Houston stands right now. The front office reportedly chased that type of player last winter and came up empty.
This season, the Astros’ only lefty outfielders with more than 100 at-bats are Taylor Trammell and Joey Loperfido. Trammell is hitting .243/.308/.700 with three home runs, while Loperfido is at .216/.314/.647 with one homer.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that Houston has shown strong interest in Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy, both of the Colorado Rockies. Moniak has been one of the few bright spots for Colorado, putting up a .282/.335/.935 line with 15 home runs and 37 RBI. McCarthy is hitting .303/.344/.857 with 31 extra-base hits, including nine home runs, and 14 steals.
Per SI’s recent trade candidate rankings, the Astros could also be checking in on Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran or Cincinnati Reds outfielder JJ Bleday.
Brown’s other target area is the bullpen, where Houston wants more balance and another right-handed arm. The Astros’ bullpen ranks 18th in ERA at 4.34, and Bryan Abreu has not delivered the late-inning results the team expected in front of lefty closer Josh Hader.
Abreu is 2-3 with a 5.70 ERA in those situations. Enyel De Los Santos, AJ Blubaugh and Nate Pearson have each had their moments, but Houston still appears to need more help.
The Astros have also gotten early relief contributions from Miguel Ullola and Alimber Santa, though both are rookies who only recently made their major league debuts, so the team can’t lean too hard on them.
There should be options available. Bullpen help tends to be out there at deadline time, even if plenty of teams are chasing the same arms. Luke Weaver of the New York Mets could be one of the most sought-after right-handed relievers available, and Houston may also keep checking in on the Rockies about Antonio Senzatela or Jimmy Herget.
Brown has not hidden what he thinks the Astros need. If Houston keeps hanging around the playoff race, the next month will be about whether he can turn that clear shopping list into the right upgrades.
In Other News...
Lance McCullers Jr.'s Brewers Stint Took An Unexpected Turn Fast
Lance McCullers Jr.s brief stop in Milwaukee already looks like a footnote in the larger Astros-Brewers deal that sent him and Colton Gordon to the other side of the trade ledger. The Brewers took on some of McCullers remaining contract money, but the move was always about more than just one pitcher changing uniforms, with Houston using the deal to clear salary as the trade deadline approached.
McCullers made two outings for Milwaukee before the club designated him for assignment, and now his next step depends on how the waiver process plays out. If he clears, a return to Houston on a minor-league deal is on the table, which would make this one of those rare late-July transactions that circles right back to where it started. [Read more 🡒]
Another Contender Is Suddenly Circling An Astros Cornerstone Shortstop
The Red Sox have already made one move to reshape the infield, sending Connelly Early to Washington to land Curtis Mead, and now their deadline focus appears to be turning to shortstop. According to USA Todays Bob Nightengale, Boston is looking at a pair of controllable options in Zach Neto of the Angels and Jeremy Pena of the Astros, which tells you the club is not just shopping for help, but for a long-term answer at a premium position.
For Houston, Penas name surfacing in that kind of conversation is the part worth noting. He remains under club control for several more years, which makes him the sort of player contenders do not pry loose easily, and any serious pursuit would figure to come with a steep price. Even so, the fact that Boston is circling a player with Penas profile is another reminder that the deadline market can get aggressive fast when a team decides it wants impact, not just depth. [Read more 🡒]
Hunter Brown Finally Looked Like The Astros Ace Joe Espada Saw
Hunter Brown gave the Astros exactly the kind of start they have been waiting to see, working seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in a 4-1 win over the White Sox. It was the kind of outing that fit the confidence Joe Espada had shown in him even through an injury-plagued season, and it marked Browns first trip into the seventh inning this year.
Browns stuff looked sharper, too, with his pitch speeds up across the board and his fastball and sinker showing a little more life. After allowing a single to Munetaka Murakami in the fourth, he settled in and retired 12 straight batters, the sort of stretch that made this feel less like a good night and more like a possible turning point. [Read more 🡒]