With the trade deadline closing in, the Houston Astros are still trying to figure out which direction they’ll take. They could choose to buy, especially with general manager Dana Brown in the final year of his contract and owner Jim Crane never eager to give up. But if the club does end up selling, a few names would at least be in play.
Josh Hader and Jeremy Pena are the two biggest pieces that could be available if Houston surprises people and goes that route. Beyond them, though, the market gets thin fast.
Some Astros would bring back very little. Others, frankly, have no trade value at all.
That’s the case for Cristian Javier, according to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden. In response to a trade deadline question, Bowden was blunt about the right-hander who helped Houston win the World Series in 2022: "I love your sense of humor and sarcasm.
You know the answer," Bowden wrote in a response to a trade deadline question about Cristian Javier. "He’s not tradeable, has no trade value and is not getting traded."
Javier, 29, was once a top-of-the-rotation starter for the Astros from 2021-23, but injuries have wrecked his availability over the past three seasons. He has made just 23 appearances in that span.
His contract is part of the problem, too. Javier is on a five-year, $64 million deal that runs through next season, and it’s not the kind of money that makes him easy to move.
Houston would have a tough time finding a team willing to take on his $12.8 million salary in 2027, especially with his workload limited. He has not thrown more than 37 innings in a season since 2023.
The results this year haven’t helped his case. Javier has moved to the bullpen and has posted a 7.17 ERA in 21.1 innings, with 15 walks and 24 hits allowed.
So while the deadline may still bring some movement for the Astros, Javier is not one of the names that figures to change hands.
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Miguel Ullola was sent back to Sugar Land to clear the spot, a reminder that the Astros are still juggling their depth while trying to stay in the race. Sitting just below .500 and within reach of a wild card spot, Houston does not need a perfect rotation right now so much as a steadier one, and Wesneskis return gives the team at least one more arm to lean on as the pressure builds. [Read more 🡒]
Rockies Fans Wont Like Where Trade Buzz Is Building Around This Bat
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One name that has surfaced fits the profile because of what he has done at the plate and on the bases this season. The bat brings a mix of production and speed that would appeal to a contender looking for a boost, and the fit is the kind of deadline chatter that can quickly turn from speculation into something much more real as July moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Could Force Astros Into A Jeremy Pea Decision
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Bostons interest only matters if it ever gets serious enough to test Houstons resolve, and for now there is no official offer on the table. The kind of package that could even begin to change the Astros thinking would have to be substantial, which is why this feels less like a simple rumor and more like a reminder of how valuable Pea has become to a team with postseason ambitions. [Read more 🡒]