Astros Need This Slugger but They May End Up Trading Him Anyway

This time last year, Houston Astros infielder Isaac Paredes was playing third base. On Wednesday, he was playing third base.

That’s not how it was supposed to go. But that’s baseball.

Paredes was long rumored to be trade bat this offseason but was never dealt. He was seen as obsolete because of the return of Carlos Correa, who agreed to play third base when he was traded back in July so that Jeremy Peña could remain at shortstop. Peña has been out for nearly a month with a hamstring issue. Correa is now out for the season after he learned he would need surgery for his ankle.

So Paredes is going to get everyday playing time, even when Peña returns. But it doesn’t mean he’ll be an Astro come August.

Why Isaac Paredes May be Traded Anyway

Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes hits the baseball with his bat — Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Astros are awful. They are 15-23 and 4.5 games back of the Athletics in the AL West. That’s not insurmountable. But Houston needs a healthy team, and it doesn’t have one. With Correa, the Astros now have 14 players on the injured list. That includes three members of the opening day starting rotation — Hunter Brown, Tatsuya Imai and Cristian Javier.

Houston still has regulars in the lineup — Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Cam Smith and Christian Walker. But the Astros are making do with rotation outfielders, infielders that have been converted to outfielders like Brice Matthews and backups like Cesar Salazar at catcher — and pitcher. Yes, Salazar pitched an inning in Wednesday’s 12-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

So, yes, there’s a race and then there’s reality. The Astros look like a team that has reached a breaking point far sooner than anyone could have expected. Correa might just be the injury that snaps the rubber band. If so, why keep Paredes?

If the season truly goes south by the All-Star break, then Paredes becomes a viable asset to be traded. After Wednesday’s game, he’s slashing .265/.363/.393 with three home runs and 15 RBI. Houston is certainly glad it didn’t trade him. But if the Astros are, say, 15 games out by July, there is little point in keeping him. He’s better off being used to trade to a contender to get younger players that will be around much longer — and go down easier on the team’s payroll, which is right at the competitive balance tax threshold.

Houston’s record may leave it no choice. Team owner Jim Crane may demand it. If so, then Paredes should hit the market and fetch a price that helps Houston in 2027 and beyond, which will matter more in a lost season than trying to squeeze stats out of him that won’t matter.

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