Astros Insider Reveals Spectacular 'Ideal Outcome' For Upcoming Trade Deadline

The Houston Astros are among the teams headed into the second half of the season who have a real chance to represent the American League in the World Series.

Following a rough start to the year, the Astros got it together over the last couple of months and go into the upcoming trade deadline with a firm lead in the division and just a couple games off the best record in the AL.

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Houston has battled through injuries both in the lineup and in the pitching staff; however, they stood tall en route to getting to where they're at. The right moves at the deadline could push this team over the top, and one Astros insider believes they need to make multiple.

In a discussion of whether Houston more needs a pitcher or a left-handed bat before July 31 deadline, Chandler Rome of The Athletic (subscription required) thinks they need to add both.

"An ideal outcome is the Astros acquiring both by the July 31 trade deadline, but their paucity of prospect capital may force Houston’s baseball operations department to hone its focus," Rome wrote before revealing which area he thinks they could narrow in on. "Dana Brown has already reiterated his desire for a left-handed bat within a lineup that is one of the most unbalanced in baseball."

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Realistically, it's going to be very tough to make additions at both needs, and the offensive addition may be a bigger need depending on the health of Yordan Alvarez.

The rookie pitchers, as Rome pointed out, have been somewhat effective, and Houston seems likely to get the boost of at least one or two of their injured starters returning sometime in the second half of the year.

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If the picture on Alvarez looks bleak, the Astros outlook against right-handers in the playoffs is not pretty without any real lefty hitting.

Of course, every team's ideal outcome is to fill all of their needs at the deadline without selling their entire farm, but it is simply not always realistic to be able to get it done.

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Houston is going to make some moves over the next couple of weeks, but the size of those moves and where they actually come is going to depend on being able to find the right trade partner.

Keep an eye out for some tough decisions to be made by Astros brass ahead of the end of the month and the real dog days of summer as this team tries to lock up yet another divisional title.

For more Astros news, head over to Astros On SI.