The Houston Astros may be aiming big at the trade deadline, but one move should be simple: Bryan Abreu has to go.
While Houston is reportedly kicking the tires on names like Tarik Skubal, Sonny Gray and left-handed bats to balance out the lineup, Abreu sits in a different category entirely. He’s not the kind of piece the Astros should be planning around for the stretch run. He’s the reliever whose value has slipped enough that Houston needs to act before it disappears completely.
Abreu will be a free agent after the season, and this has been a rough platform year from the start. He opened as the fill-in closer while Josh Hader was injured, but the results have gone the wrong way.
Heading into Wednesday, Abreu owned a 5.70 ERA, had walked 25 batters in 30 innings and seen his fastball velocity drop by more than two MPH. He also spent time on the restricted list for a personal matter, making this a season he’d likely rather put behind him.
That’s exactly why the Astros can’t just ride it out. He isn’t an extension candidate, and keeping him in a setup role through the end of the year would leave Houston with nothing once he hits free agency. Even with the struggles, Abreu still carries more trade value now than he will in November.
There’s enough track record for another team to talk itself into a rebound. Before this season, Abreu posted a 2.30 ERA in 281.2 innings from 2022 to 2025, and that kind of history makes him the sort of buy-low bullpen target someone will chase. The return wouldn’t be huge - maybe a low-minors arm or something similar - but that’s still better than letting him walk for nothing.
The Astros have already shown patience with him. That patience just shouldn’t last past August 3.
If Houston is serious about improving at the deadline, moving Abreu needs to be part of the plan. He doesn’t have to headline anything.
He just needs to be wearing a different uniform by the time the deadline is over.
In Other News...
Astros Already See Cubs Tucker Trade Return As Core Piece
Cam Smiths first season in Houston has been enough to push his name into a different kind of conversation, one that usually comes only after a young player has shown he belongs. The outfielder has given the Astros a reason to believe the return from the Kyle Tucker trade can be more than just a useful piece, with his production and all-around value making him look like part of the clubs longer-term core.
That is why one MLB executive has already floated the idea of Houston exploring a long-term extension sooner rather than later, even though there is no immediate deadline to do anything. The appeal is obvious: lock in a promising young bat before the price climbs. The risk is just as clear, especially for a front office that has seen how quickly these situations can turn if a deal never quite comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Suddenly Have A New Deadline Threat In The Mix
The trade deadline usually brings the Miami Marlins into the market as a seller, but this season has taken an unexpected turn. After a strong recent run, Miami is now being discussed as a buyer, and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the club has identified third base, a back-end starter and a high-leverage reliever as the main areas it wants to address.
For an Astros team that is always watching the market closely, that matters because a club that once seemed likely to move pieces could now be hunting for them instead. Rosenthal also noted the Marlins may be willing to deal from the major-league roster to avoid dipping too far into the farm system, which adds another layer to a deadline picture that is still developing and could shift quickly as the market comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Make Quick Infield Move That Leaves Braden Shewmake In Limbo
Jeremy Pea is back on the active roster, and the Astros made the corresponding infield move by designating Braden Shewmake for assignment. It is the kind of transaction that can happen quickly in the middle of a season, but it leaves a player like Shewmake in a difficult spot after he had only just worked his way back onto the roster.
Shewmake had recently returned from an adductor strain and was back for only two games before Houston moved on again. The clock is now ticking on what comes next, with the Astros having five days to work out a trade or send him through waivers, while Shewmake also has the option to reject a minor league assignment and test free agency. [Read more 🡒]