What Astros Trade Package for Diamondbacks Pitcher Zac Gallen Could Look Like

The Houston Astros are in a great spot heading into their final series ahead of the MLB All-Star Game.

With a record of 55-39, they are sitting atop the American League West, six games ahead of the Seattle Mariners.

If they want to continue building upon that lead and remain one of the true World Series contenders in baseball, they know they have to make some additions ahead of the trade deadline at the end of the month.

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The most pressing need for the Astros right now is to add some starting pitching depth behind their star-studded one-two punch of Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown.

Injuries have led to Ryan Gusto and rookie Colton Gordon making the third and fourth-most starts for Houston behind their ace duo. Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski are both out after suffering elbow injuries that required Tommy John surgery.

With the rotation so messy, Houston would benefit greatly from adding a player capable of starting postseason games.

One pitcher who would fit that bill is Zac Gallen of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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No. 10 on the MLB Trade Deadline Big Board 2.0 shared by The Athletic (subscription required), one of the teams listed as the best fit for him was the Astros.

Gallen's overall numbers and underlying metrics are not great in 2025, but his track record is an impressive one.

As an impending free agent, anyone who acquires Gallen would be betting on him being able to return to his normal form over the final few months of the year for a playoff push.

While acquiring a pitcher with control beyond 2025 would be ideal for Houston, especially with Valdez already set to hit free agency after the campaign, that would cost significantly more on the trade market.

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Gallen, given his production this season and his status as a rental, could be much more affordable for a franchise whose farm system isn’t highly ranked.

What could a deal for the Diamondbacks starting pitcher look like?

With a surplus of 3.8 based on Baseball Trade Values, Gallen won’t be given away for free. But a package of two prospects should be enough to get the deal done.

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The Astros could offer versatile youngster Shay Whitcomb and right-handed pitching prospect Jean Pinto, who have a combined surplus of 4.3, to Arizona in a deal that is considered fair for both sides.

Whitcomb, who has added outfield to his infield versatility this year, looks blocked from significant playing time at the big league level with top prospect Brice Matthews being called up recently.

Using Whitcomb as the centerpiece of a package for Gallen would make sense, enabling Houston to retain its higher-valued prospects for a bigger trade down the line if the need arises.

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