As we get closer to the MLB trade deadline (July 30), rumors about different players going to different teams will spur up, just like what we saw last year when the Astros traded back for Justin Verlander. Looking at the Astros, there are many areas of improvement for the team, and if these weaknesses are acted upon, we could see the Astros improving to become AL West champions once again. In this article, I will be discussing the needs for the Astros as well as players who could possibly fill in these positions.

What Positions Are In Need?

Looking at the Astros current injuries, there is an obvious concern for starting pitching on the team. With Cristian Javier, Jose Urquidy, Lance McCullers Jr., J.P. France, Luis Garcia, and Jake Bloss all currently on the injured list, it’s hard not to say that pitching is one of the main issues the Astros should aim to fix this trading season. Four of the pitchers I mentioned above were part of the 2022 World Series roster, which shows the impact that each of these injuries has on the team. In fact, the Astros just recently had to start reliever Shawn Dubin due to the lack of starting pitching that they currently have on their roster. On top of this, the Astros could also use a new first baseman due to the disappointing play and release of Jose Abreu. Although Jon Singleton has some great plate appearances and displayed solid defense, the Astros could still upgrade this position and have Singleton become a backup or secondary DH to Yordan Alvarez.

Targets for Pitching

Looking at current pitchers on the market, the best fit for the Astros would most likely be Jack Flaherty of the Detroit Tigers. Flaherty is currently posting a 3.24 ERA in 15 games, as well as posting a WHIP of 1.000. If Flaherty were to be traded to the Astros, he would already have the lowest WHIP on the starting rotation, which would be a big help in limiting teams to make plays early in games. Flaherty also has 115 strikeouts to 14 walks so far this season, which ranks him as one of the most elite strikeout to walk pitchers in the MLB. Another pitcher for the Astros to look at is Garrett Crochet, the current ace for the Chicago White Sox. Crochet is currently second in WAR for pitchers in the MLB, only behind Cy Young candidate Seth Lugo. Crochet has a 3.02 ERA with a 0.93 WHIP, both better numbers than Flaherty. The White Sox has also identified themselves as sellers at the deadline, which means that Crochet’s trade value could be a potential low because the team is trying to reset and start up a new rebuild. If Crochet were on the Astros, the starting rotation would obviously be better, but we would also add another lefty into the lineup, which could allow for better matchups come playoff time.

Targets at First Base

There are only two targets in my eyes for the Astros this deadline at first base: Pete Alonso and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Both of these players have been rumored to be traded in numerous deadlines across the past couple of seasons. The more likely case for the Astros will be trading for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. due to the current playoff push the Mets are having. Guerrero is currently slashing .298/.376/.472 with a .848 OPS and 142 OPS+ this season. He is currently having the second best season of his young career and seeing and mashing the baseball well. He currently ranks in the 90th percentile in every hitting category you can think of other than walk and strikeout rate. Guerrero’s trade value is definitely going to be costly for the Astros, but if the team can somehow retain Guerrero past his 2026 unrestricted free agency, the trade will be well worth it.

Looking at Pete Alonso, we see a slight drop-off in his usual numbers so far this season. He is currently slashing .247/.332/.478 and has a .810 OPS with a 134 OPS+ to start the year. Each of his numbers are slightly lower than his career averages, but he is still an elite first baseman. Comparing his advanced metrics to Guerrero, we see a lot less favorable percentiles for each of his categories. For example, his average exit velocity is 88.9 MPH, which puts him in the 47th percentile across the MLB. He is still an upgrade compared to the current options for the Astros, but I don’t think the Mets will have a fair asking price for Alonso. Ultimately, I think the best option for the Astros is to trade some of their young prospects for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and if that involves top prospects like Jacob Melton, then you have to pull the trigger.