Houston Astros Surprisingly Predicted to Be Buyers at MLB Trade Deadline
The Houston Astros looked completely lost to start the season.
Some of that had to do with them missing an entire rotation to injury, quite literally. Slumping veterans and ineffective management.
A lot of it had to do with the absolute gauntlet they faced in their first 30 games that included multiple games against the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves.
But now they have won seven of their last 10 games, the bats are coming around and all of a sudden Houston is starting to look like the Astros who have turned themselves into a dynasty over the course of the last seven seasons.
Perhaps it's that turnaround, coupled with the Rangers and Seattle Mariners flailing, that many have changed their tune on Houston and have mysteriously stopped calling them "sellers" but now potential "buyers" at this year's MLB trade deadline.
One such "expert" is The Athletic's Jim Bowden who now predicts the Astros will acquire talent at the deadline, not ship it off. But what should they target?
"I think the Astros will make the playoffs as a division winner or wild-card club and never doubted them despite their poor start to the season," writes Bowden.
"Adding bullpen depth should be the top priority as well as starting pitching depth, due to the down year from Hunter Brown and the ineffectiveness of Spencer Arrighetti and J.P. France, which played a big role in their slow start. In particular, they could use another left-handed reliever for the fifth, sixth or seventh innings."
Much of Houston's issues could be solved by acquiring competent bullpen depth that can help in the lower leverage spots. While they pretty well have the eighth and ninth innings figured out, the middle relief role needs addressed.
A trade like the one the Baltimore Orioles just pulled off with the Milwaukee Brewers is exactly what the Astros should be looking at doing.
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.