MLB Insider Sees Houston Astros as Trade Fit For All-Star Slugger

The Houston Astros have been connected as a fit for a former All-Star and near 40-home run second baseman from the Tampa Bay Rays by an MLB insider.

Apr 15, 2025; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (8) bats in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at George M. Steinbrenner Field. | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros desperately need more impact bats on offense and could look to the trade market for that help.

Moving Jose Altuve to left field really hasn't been as disastrous as many expected it would be. He still isn't a plus defender there, but has a better OAA and FRV this year in left than he did at second base a season ago.

All that it has done, though, is open up another hole at second base. That spot in the lineup has produced just a .225/.323/.313 slash line with a single home run, which is obviously not where they would want it to be.

ESPN+ (subscription required) insider David Schoenfield floated an interesting possibility for the Astros in his trade deadline preview. He predicted that the Tampa Bay Rays would put second baseman Brandon Lowe on the market and listed Houston as one of the top fits.

A bat the caliber of Lowe's has a chance to completely change this Astros lineup if they are able to get him back into a groove. He was an All-Star back in 2019 and hit 39 home runs in 2021.

While he hasn't lived up to those expectations in the last few seasons, he does still show flashes of being that player.

The 30-year-old has historically hit very well in Daikin Park and could be a great fit to get his career back fully on track.

He would also have the benefit of facing a ton of right-handed pitching in this lineup.

Since that near 40-home run season back in 2021, he has posted a .232/.311/.430 slash line with an average of 13 home runs a season.

Lowe has just been dealing with injuries over the last few campaigns, keeping him from really staking his claim. He would've had at least 30 home runs in both 2023 and 2024 if he was able to stay healthy.

He still has had an OPS+ of 109 in that time, putting him above league average.

The first couple of weeks this season were great for Lowe. Over the first 10 games, he posted a .293/.326/.512 slash line with three home runs.

That has cooled way down to now having just a .207/.239/.310 line, but this cold streak shouldn't keep Houston from trading for him.

Lowe would still be a much more reliable bat down the stretch than that of either Brendan Rodgers or Mauricio Dubon, but wouldn't take them off the roster either.

Dubon would be able to still do his super utility role. Rodgers could come in against southpaws, though he has had reverse splits this season.