Astros GM reveals Houston’s trade deadline priority

The Houston Astros sit atop the AL West as the trade deadline nears, but general manager Dana Brown has made it clear that reinforcements are still needed. After a brutal run of injuries, Brown revealed that acquiring a left-handed bat is now the top priority.

Brown spoke to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome before Thursday’s game vs. the Athletics and explained his evolving deadline outlook. While pitching was initially the focus, the injury-riddled offense has forced a change in plans.

“Cross your fingers and hope nothing else happens, but injuries happen, so I’m always thinking about pitching,” Brown said, “When I’m talking to other clubs, if there’s a possibility to get a starter, I’ll take a starter. I’m always in the market for a starter. That said, I’m really locked in on the bat. If we can get a bat, it would be really good for this team, particularly a left-handed bat.”

Brown’s comments come as the club navigates one of the most challenging injury stretches in the league. Despite leading the AL West with a 60-42 record, the Astros have nine position players on the injured list—more than any other team. Yordan Alvarez has been sidelined since May, Jeremy Pena and Jake Meyers remain out, and Isaac Paredes may miss the rest of the season.

With Jose Altuve moving to left field and the infield shifting constantly, the offense has held steady—but only just. Since Alvarez went down, the team has averaged 4.6 runs per game with a .761 OPS. That’s been enough to maintain a six-game lead in the AL West standings but not enough to settle Brown’s deadline urgency.

The deadline presents real challenges for Houston. Their farm system lacks top-end prospects, and Brown has admitted the front office would prefer not to deal from the active major league roster. Still, he believes offensive help must come.

Potential trade pieces being considered include Cedric Mullins and Ryan O’Hearn from the Baltimore Orioles, Mickey Moniak from the Colorado Rockies, and Mike Tauchman of the Chicago White Sox.

The general manager acknowledged that a second move for pitching could follow, but his main target is clear. He sees the addition of a consistent left-handed bat as the best way to sustain momentum for a postseason run.

With Cristian Javier and Spencer Arrighetti progressing in rehab and Alvarez expected to be back soon, the Astros could be peaking at the right time—provided Brown lands the bat he’s after.