Inside the Astros

Houston Astros No Longer Prioritizing Starting Pitching at Trade Deadline

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown has said that his team will no longer prioritize starting pitching at the MLB trade deadline.
Kade Kistner|
Houston Astros No Longer Prioritizing Starting Pitching at Trade Deadline
Houston Astros No Longer Prioritizing Starting Pitching at Trade Deadline

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Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are slated to be players in the trade market come Aug. 1, this season's MLB trade deadline. 

For weeks the front office has been sending signals about what they hope to prioritize. Starting pitching always seemed to be a need, especially with the loss of Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy and Lance McCullers Jr. 

In fact, as recently as Saturday evening, there were multiple reports that the Astros and the New York Mets were in discussions to send Justin Verlander back to Houston. Names were reportedly being exchanged at the same time that the Texas Rangers sent Luisangel Acuna, their number three prospect to New York for Max Scherzer. 

Now, Brown told The Atheltic's Jim Bowden that they are no longer in the market for a starting pitcher and will instead focus on the bullpen and a left-handed bat. 

Perhaps the change in direction has occurred after witnessing the type of haul it would take to pull off a Verlander trade upon witnessing the Rangers-Mets deal. That Scherzer deal has also helped set the going-rate for a starting pitcher in what is a very thin market. 

It is understandable shift in philosophy for the Astros front office, but one can still expect them to continue to make impact additions as they continue their quest for a consecutive World Series title. 

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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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