Inside the Astros

Houston Astros to Shift Gears, Change Target at Trade Deadline

The Houston Astros have changed their strategy for the upcoming MLB trade deadline according to general manager Dana Brown.
Kade Kistner|
Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

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The Houston Astros have for weeks indicated that a left-handed bat, especially a versatile one that can play multiple positions, would be the priority for the team at the MLB trade deadline. 

However, Brown's tune seems to have changed when he spoke with SportsTalk 790 out of Houston.

"With the pitchers that we’ve had going down, it could put us in a situation where we come up short or we don’t get to that next round of the playoffs,” said Brown. “A good arm would be really, really helpful. … The problem is, there are not many good arms out there.”

The starting pitching market is thin, Brown is absolutely correct about that. Marcus Stroman is the obvious headliner followed by Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn of the Chicago White Sox. 

Barring them, it's a barren market. 

Houston still has the second-best rotation in the league in terms of ERA, but injuries to Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy and Lance McCullers Jr. have severely altered the look of the unit. Losing Justin Verlander to the New York Mets in free agency didn't do the team any favors either. 

The Astros have a solid roster, but adding a proven arm for help down the stretch and into the postseason may be more important than adding an extra bat at the deadline.

It just comes down to whether or not the Astros will be willing to meet what could be an exorbitant price. 

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Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.

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