HOUSTON – The American League is wide open entering the All-Star break, which means the Astros – who have been below .500 for most of the season – are in the thick of the race in the AL West, standing three games behind the first-place Rangers with 64 games remaining. With the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline approaching and some glaring needs, don’t expect Houston to stand pat.
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The Astros will likely make a move to bolster their roster, though a blockbuster trade appears unlikely at this point. Houston made one of baseball’s biggest deals last July when it reacquired Carlos Correa from the Twins – one of three deals it made before the Deadline. They acquired pitcher Yusei Kikuchi at the Deadline in 2024.
In ’23, they acquired Justin Verlander from the Mets at the Deadline and bolstered their run to the World Series in ’22 by getting Christian Vázquez, Trey Mancini and Will Smith in three separate deals.
You get the idea. Astros owner Jim Crane will be aggressive.
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Record at the break: 47-51 (Third in AL West, three games back)
Record at the break last year: 56-40 (First in AL West, five games up)
Playoff odds: 24.6%
Remaining Strength of Schedule: .485 (29th, second-easiest in MLB)
Astros general manager Dana Brown admitted last month the club would be in the market for help in the outfield, where the offensive output has been abysmal.
“If we could find some offensive outfield help at the Deadline, that would be great,” he said. “If we could find some bullpen help, that would be great. Those are two big things. We feel like we got some starters coming back [from injuries]. … So a big focus would be offense in the outfield and getting some offensive production. And if we could firm up the ‘pen a little bit more.”
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The Astros should get Kai-Wei Teng and Bennett Sousa back from the injured list after the All-Star break, which could satisfy their need for bullpen help. Same with the returns of injured starters Hayden Wesneski and Ronel Blanco, and the club feels No. 6 prospect Ethan Pecko is Major League ready.
Thus, the outfield becomes the biggest area of need. The Astros have run through a long list of left fielders, including Dustin Harris and Daniel Johnson, who aren’t with the club anymore, Joey Loperfido and Zach Cole, who are in the Minor Leagues, along with Brice Matthews, Zach Dezenzo, Taylor Trammell and LaMonte Wade Jr.
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Biggest need: Left-hand-hitting outfielder
The desire to add a left-handed-hitting outfielder will be the Astros’ top goal. Houston’s offensive production from the outfield has been poor all season, especially in left field and center field. Wade, when healthy, has filled the void some, but the Astros need an upgrade over the combination of Trammell, Matthews and Jake Meyers.
Biggest chip: RHP AJ Blubaugh
With a farm system that is still ranked near the bottom, the Astros may not have the kind of trade chips required to make a major acquisition, but that doesn’t mean they can’t add an impact player. It might take trading from the Major League roster. One player to keep an eye on is AJ Blubaugh, a hard-throwing reliever who’s thrown at least two innings in nine of his final 11 outings before the All-Star break.
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Key player for second half: OF Brice Matthews
The Astros own baseball’s worst OPS from their outfielders (.629). The club is looking for anybody to establish themselves in left field or center field, which is where Matthews has been splitting time. Matthews has emerged as a terrific defensive outfielder with a strong arm, but the offense would look much better if he could take a step forward at the plate, especially at Daikin Park.
Determining Factor: Pitchers returning from IL
The Astros’ need to add starting pitching could be filled by a pair of right-handers who are set to return soon from the IL. Blanco and Wesneski both underwent Tommy John surgery early last year and should be through with their rehabs and rejoin the rotation later this month. Blanco was Houston’s Pitcher of the Year in 2024, and Wesneski was acquired in the Kyle Tucker trade with the Cubs prior to the ’25 season.
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