The Astros are back in the same spot they were a year ago: staring down the trade deadline with a clear need for a left-handed bat.
Last summer, Dana Brown tried to address that hole by bringing in Jesus Sanchez from the Miami Marlins. It didn’t play out the way Houston hoped, and the Astros wound up missing the postseason. This year, the need is still sitting there - only now the market looks a little more appealing.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan pointed to Colorado Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy as Houston’s “Best match” among the available left-handed hitters.
“Best match: Jake McCarthy, OF, Colorado,” Passan writes. “Among him, Moniak, rookie Cole Carrigg, and Troy Johnston - not to mention injured center fielder Brenton Doyle and top prospect Charlie Condon - the Rocies have room to move at least one bat.”
That makes the Rockies a logical trade partner. They’re expected to sell, and they have enough outfield depth to deal from. Mickey Moniak is another name to keep in the mix, but Passan singled out McCarthy for the Astros.
McCarthy, a six-year MLB veteran, has put together an .856 OPS this season with a .302 batting average, a 121 OPS+, and 0.9 bWAR in 79 games. He’s also piled up 80 hits, 17 doubles, six triples, and nine homers.
At 28, he’s not just a short-term fix. McCarthy is under control through the 2028 season, which likely pushes his price beyond what a typical rental would cost. Even so, Houston’s need for a left-handed outfield bat is obvious enough that paying up could make sense.
There’s also the Coors Field split to consider. McCarthy has a .943 OPS at home and a .756 OPS away from Coors Field, but even that road number would still give the Astros a useful offensive boost.
Houston needs outfield help, and McCarthy fits the bill as well as anyone on the market. If the Astros are going to push through the crowded AL West and AL Wild Card race, he looks like the kind of move that could matter.
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Astros Suddenly Have A New Deadline Threat In The Mix
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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
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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 🡒]