The Astros are looking for pitching help, but their biggest swing at the deadline may already be off the board.
Houston, sitting at 55-55 and just 1.0 game out of an AL Wild Card spot, is expected to buy as the deadline approaches. The club has been linked to upgrades in the rotation, the bullpen and even the outfield, where it wants a left-handed bat. But when it comes to starting pitching, the Astros have reportedly aimed high.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Houston is among the teams that have called the Giants about Logan Webb, the $90 million right-hander who has a 3.93 ERA this season. The answer, though, has been the same every time.
"The Houston Astros and other teams keep asking about San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb," Nightengale reports. "And they keep being told he's not going anywhere."
That makes Webb a tough fit for Houston’s deadline plans, even if he checks a lot of boxes. He’s not a short-term rental, and that matters. The 29-year-old is signed through the 2028 season on a five-year, $90 million deal, giving any acquiring team 2.5 seasons of control.
That kind of starter is hard to find this time of year, which explains why the Astros would at least make the call. If Houston is chasing a controllable arm, the market is thin. Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano would fit that mold, but both are with the Angels, and the AL West tax could make those talks especially expensive.
San Francisco is expected to sell this summer, but Webb appears to be the exception. He’s a three-time All-Star with a Gold Glove award, and the Giants are reportedly planning to keep him no matter where they stand in the standings.
So while the Astros have been aggressive in looking for help, Webb doesn’t sound like a realistic landing spot. If Houston keeps shopping for a controllable starter, other names could surface, including Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha or Hunter Greene. But the message on Webb is clear: he’s not moving.
In Other News...
Astros May Have Finally Found The Left-Handed Bat They Need
The Astros have been linked to St. Louis outfielder Lars Nootbaar as they look to add another bat before the deadline, and the appeal is easy to see. He can handle all three outfield spots, gives a lineup some balance from the left side and has been productive enough this season to keep his name in the conversation, with a 107 OPS+ in 165 plate appearances.
For Houston, the bigger draw may be that Nootbaar is not just a short-term fix. He is under club control through 2027, which gives any deal a longer runway than the usual rental swing, and that matters for a team trying to thread the needle between helping itself now and avoiding a one-year patchwork move. The question is whether the Astros and Cardinals can line up on the kind of return that makes sense for both sides. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Suddenly Linked To A Giants Arm Fans Would Absolutely Want
Dana Brown has made it clear the Astros are still combing the market ahead of the deadline, and the focus has shifted toward starting pitching after earlier talk of adding an outfield bat. That makes sense for a club that keeps finding itself in the mix every summer, and it explains why Houston is at least doing its homework on arms that could change the shape of the rotation down the stretch.
One name that has surfaced is Logan Webb, a pitcher the Giants would love to keep around even as they work through other possible moves. San Francisco is also expected to shop Heliot Ramos, and there is at least some willingness to help with Robbie Rays salary in the right deal, which shows how active the Giants may be in the coming days. For Houston, the bigger question is whether this kind of check-in turns into something real before the deadline clock runs out. [Read more 🡒]