With a month until the August 3 cutoff, the question that begs to be asked is, “What will the Astros do at the trade deadline?”
For the majority of the 2025 season, the Astros have teetered on the brink of two realities. On one hand, a veteran core and less-than-stellar division and management of injuries are keeping the Astros in striking distance. On the other hand, those same injuries have plagued Houston all season as key figures in Hunter Brown, Josh Hader, Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., and Carlos Correa have been or are still clearly missed.
Trade Deadline Buyers
According to Houston General Manager Dana Brown, the Astros will buy at the deadline. All things considered, it makes sense. Yordan Alvarez is playing at an MVP level, while Jeremy Peña and Christian Walker are providing enough protection for him. Brown and Hader recently returned from injuries, while both Javier and McCullers Jr. are working towards a return.
If the Astros get healthy and continue to see production from their stars, a second-half playoff push could be in the works. So if Houston does buy, who are the targets? Similar to last season, a left-handed-hitting outfielder (a la Jesús Sánchez) and bullpen help are going to be at the top of the list.
Call Boston
One team that immediately comes to mind as a trade partner is Boston. With the Red Sox’s season in a tailspin, a fire sale could be coming. A development that the Astros would surely try to get in on.
Before the season began, Houston was linked to outfielder Jarren Duran, but nothing took shape. Now with plans to buy at the deadline, Duran will likely reemerge as a target for the Astros.
Duran hasn’t played like an All-Star this season, sitting below the Mendoza line with a .196 average. But he has hit 12 home runs and provides what could be a speedy, everyday glove in an Astros outfield that always seems to be a revolving door. It’s also not far-fetched to think that all Duran needs to get back into form is a change of scenery, something that has done many trade prospects good.
If Houston can get in with Boston as a trade partner, they shouldn’t stop at Duran. If bullpen help is on the priority list, an inquiry into Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock should be made. Admittedly, Aroldis Chapman might be out of the price range for Houston, as the Cuban Missile has already picked up 16 saves and bolsters a 2.19 ERA this season, but Garrett Whitlock could be more affordable.
The only concern would be the Red Sox’s view on Whitlock. If Boston does deal Chapman, Whitlock would almost certainly be in line for the closer role next year, making it a toss-up on whether or not Craig Breslow will sell off two frontline bullpen arms.
Other Possible Deadline Acquisitions?
If no deal can be made with Boston, there are certainly more names on the market to look at. While Duran is looking like the Astros’ preferred target, calls about Taylor Ward and Lars Nootbaar would make sense for Houston.
If the O’s choose to sell, Ward would make a lot of sense for Houston. A pending free agent, the Astros’ past has made it clear that they aren’t afraid of buying rentals.
Nootbaar, on the other hand, is an interesting case. With only one more season of club control, the Cardinals could view him as a valuable trade chip to bring in more talent for the future. On the other hand, they could also view Nootbaar as too valuable to move off of just yet and end up waiting until the offseason to try and get value out of him.
In the bullpen, Kyle Finnegan could make a lot of sense for the Astros. With all of the focus in Detroit being on Tarik Skubal, Houston could slide in and make a play for Finnegan to bolster the back end of the bullpen.
What If It Goes Awry
Brown has made it clear the Astros plan to buy, but what if, for whatever reason, the Astros implode in the coming weeks? What happens then?
With no intent on trading Walker or Peña, that likely leaves Isaac Paredes as the biggest chip for other teams to call about. However, reliever AJ Blubaugh has also been drawing strong interest across the league.
Paredes provides a consistent presence in the middle of the lineup, and Blubaugh has strong numbers and experience as both a starter and out of the bullpen, along with years of control left. Both names could give Houston a decent return if things go wrong in the coming weeks.
Houston still has the means to make a run for the playoffs; the trade deadline will indicate just how serious the team is about competing this year.
Main Image Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
