MLB’s trade deadline season is in full swing, and rumors are circling from all different angles. It’s the time of year when clubs truly assess what they have and how they may need to improve the roster before the final two months of the regular season.
The Houston Astros, after trading away Kyle Tucker, losing Alex Bregman during free agency, and missing Yordan Alvarez for the majority of the season, have taken the league by storm with a 55-38 record. Sitting comfortably atop the American League West, the Astros are now expected to make additions at the deadline.
Their biggest needs are left-handed bats, as they have prominent righty sluggers in the lineup like Isaac Parades, Jose Altuve, and Christian Walker. Their other need is another depth starter, and one MLB insider believes they could make a blockbuster deal.
Jeff Passan Predicts Houston Trades for Seth Lugo
In a recent piece for MLB.com, MLB insider Jeff Passan predicted a trade for each MLB team based on their biggest needs. For the Houston Astros, Passan predicts that they will trade for Seth Lugo of the Kansas City Royals.
Lugo is having a stellar first half of the season, posting a 2.67 ERA thus far in 101 innings. He also has 88 strikeouts and has started 17 games. Lugo is on pace for another 200-inning season after being an All-Star last season.
Here is what Passan had to say about Lugo’s upside and why he’s a good fit for Houston:
“So even if the cost is heavy and eats into a farm system that’s among the worst in MLB, targeting a pitcher of Lugo’s ilk would give them among the natiest postseason rotations in the game and further entrench the Astros as a force. Lugo’s peripherals suggest he’s in line for regression but even if his ERA does jump from its current 2.67 mark, Lugo’s nine-pitch mix gives him the flexibility to adjust in-game- a luxury shared by only a handful of starters in the game,” wrote Passan.
The Astros’ Rotation Would Be Dominant
If a deal of this caliber were to be completed, there’s no doubt it would make the Houston Astros rotation among the game’s best. Houston would have a three-headed monster in Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, and Lugo. Brown is having a breakout season and is firmly in the AL Cy Young race. Lugo has proven he can take the ball every fifth day and provide length and productivity.
A deal like this hinges on how the Kansas City Royals finish this month, but they are starting to slip out of the Wild Card race, and that may lead them to become sellers. As the deadline rapidly approaches, keep an eye out for the Astros to make additions, either in the form of a depth starter or a strong lefty bat. The Astros have emerged as a true threat in the American League, and it comes as no surprise if you’ve paid attention at all this decade.
MLB Insider Predicts Houston Astros to Trade for Royals’ 2.67 ERA Starter