Houston Astros Address Biggest Remaining Need With Potential Trade
The Houston Astros have fought back into playoff contention, which means that they could become active in the market before the MLB's trade deadline.
The Athletic's Jim Bowden stated that owner Jim Crane is someone who is more likely to "double down" rather than "fold."
But what does the front office need to look for in a trade to improve their team?
Bowden stated their biggest needs right now is depth in both the starting rotation and bullpen. Getting more specific, he said the team should be on the lookout for a left-handed reliever.
Houston currently has just Josh Hader and Parker Mushinski as the only left-handed arms out of the bullpen.
Luckily for them, one of the best southpaw relievers in the league from the St. Louis Cardinals could be made available.
JoJo Romero has found success since leaving the Philadelphia Phillies and has become a very effective pitcher. In 2024, he has a 1.42 ERA and just 0.711 for WHIP.
He paints the zone with control rather than over-powering with velocity. This makes him a prime candidate for the relief role that the Astros need rather than a flamethrowing closer. His best pitch is his dominant slider, but he also leans on a very good sinker as well.
Batters don't get a lot of power when hitting against him, driving up his ground ball rate while only giving up two home runs since the start of 2023.
Mason Miller and Ryan Helsley are the biggest names on the market in terms of relievers, but may be too rich for what Houston has at their disposal. Romero would likely be much more affordable.
The Cardinals could ask for someone such as Brice Matthews.
He's a prospect who plays a position that Houston won't need help at for a long time. That might be too much for the Astros, but it's a nice starting spot for negotiations.
DYLAN SANDERS
Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders