Astros Preparing to Chase Stars, Outfield Help at MLB Trade Deadline

The Houston Astros took a wild one from the Tampa Bay Rays on the Fourth of July, walking them off in the bottom of the ninth inning, courtesy of a two-run home run from All-Star Yordan Alvarez. That thrilling win sparked something in the front office in Houston.

Believed to be down and out earlier this season, the Astros continue to get closer to a .500 record and have kept themselves afloat in the AL West division, despite numerous setbacks. Within reach of a playoff berth, general brown Dana Brown wants to do anything and all he can to get Houston back to the playoffs.

Huge Astros Trade Deadline Update

Astros hat on a glov — A general view of a Houston Astros hat and glove in the dugout. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The biggest story post-Fourth of July surrounded the Astros and their new plan with the trade deadline approaching in less than a month. As reported by USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Houston has become extremely active in wanting to better their roster to make a push for the 2026 title.

Reportedly showing strong interest in Colorado Rockies outfielders Jake McCarthy and Mickey Moniak, as well as tossing their name into the sweepstakes for back-to-back AL Cy Young Tarik Skubal and former All-Star Sonny Gray, Houston just dropped a bomb on the rest of the division.

Houston's outfield situation has been its downfall all season. Recently sending Joey Loperfido and Jake Meyers to Triple-A following their struggles and recalling Zach Dezenzo and activating LaMonte Wade Jr., it feels like only a matter of time before another change comes.

McCarthy is having his best season yet in Major League Baseball, hitting over .300 with a career-high nine home runs and an OPS of .862. Monaik is on pace to surpass his 24 home run total last season, and would have a field day hitting at Daikin Park with the power he possesses from the left side of the plate.

As for the sweepstakes for Skubal, the likelihood doesn't feel very high considering a ton of other suitors will be contacting the Detroit Tigers with high offers later this month. Houston did, however, land Justin Verlander back in 2017 from Detroit, which turned into a massive acquisition for the franchise. So, anything is possible.

Gray feels like the more obtainable option to add to this Astros starting rotation. Adding him to the mix with Hunter Brown, Peter Lambert, Spencer Arrighetti, and Tatsuya Imai would give them a nice, rounded-out rotation ready for battle. Gray holds a 2.61 ERA (T-9th in MLB) in 16 starts this season.

With this aggressive approach, the Astros would have to settle with giving up a handful of prospects or MLB-ready players to get these deals done. If one thing goes south, the future of the franchise could be rocky, just as it was to begin the 2026 campaign.

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