Astros GM describes team's trade-deadline hopes

The Houston Astros are a battered and bruised team at the moment. 

Two of Houston's starting pitchers (Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia) are out for the season and two key hitters are out for the time being in Yordan Alvarez and Michael Brantley.

Despite the injuries on the roster, Houston is 43-37 and 5.5 games back of the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. The Astros are coming off a World Series championship last season, and their window for another title is still open. However, they may need some help. 

While the Astros the second-lowest team ERA, their production at the plate has yet to be to their standard. The Astros currently rank 18th in batting average (.246), 21st in on-base percentage (.317) and 15th in home runs (93). These numbers won't take any team far in the playoffs, and general manager Dana Brown will make moves if necessary to bolster the batting order.

"We'll try to be active at the deadline to acquire what we need to get over the hump," Brown said on the "Sean Salisbury Show."

Getting over the hump is more challenging without Alvarez, who was leading the league with 55 RBI in early June when he suffered an oblique injury. 

"Right now, we need a pick-me-up with the bats — particularly with Alvarez being out," Brown said. "Hopefully him and Brantley will come back right about the same time, which will be a big shot in the arm for this club and our offense."

Alvarez is still weeks away from returning, and the Astros can't afford to slip any further in the standings. Brown isn't ruling out trading for a pitcher, but adding a productive hitter seems inevitable.

"I'm focused right now on a bat, and I'm always open to acquiring an arm because you need arms to get through the postseason," Brown said. "The better your pitching staff is, the longer I feel like you can play in the postseason."

Brown said that the Astros will take a player if they "can find a big bat and it's just a rental," which means he's unwilling to give up a bevy of prospects in a trade. 

The Astros sound like they're more inclined to bargain shop rather than make a blockbuster deal at the deadline. No matter which direction Brown chooses to go, he gets the benefit of the doubt for the time being as GM of the reigning world champs.