New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Astros linked to Mets duo ahead of MLB trade deadline

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jul 11, 2024 2:18 PM ET

The Houston Astros are surging at the right time, and acquiring upgrades before the trade deadline on July 30 at 6 p.m. ET could help put them back into World Series contention.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden reported Astros general manager Dana Brown has talked with the New York Mets about first baseman Pete Alonso and starting pitcher Luis Severino.

Landing both would be ideal for Houston (48-44), which is 2.5 games out of the final American League wild-card spot behind the Kansas City Royals (51-43) and Boston Red Sox (50-41).

The Astros starting pitching rotation has battled injuries throughout the season. Ace Justin Verlander (neck) is on the 15-day injured list, while Cristian Javier (forearm) and Luis Garcia (elbow) are on the 60-day IL. Severino — who has posted a 3.78 ERA in 18 games — would give them much-needed depth.

At first base, the Astros are rolling with rookie Joey Loperfido, who has a .288 batting average and two home runs in 28 games. Alonso would provide more power, as he's tied for 15th in the majors in homers (18 in 91 games).

IN OUR GRIMACE ERA.

PETE ALONSO GIVES THE METS THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/eRlTpvdE27
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 20, 2024

The Astros' problem is that the Mets (46-45) are a half-game out of the final National League wild-card spot. Although Severino and Alonso are on one-year contracts, trading them doesn't make sense for New York when it can still make the playoffs.

Per Bowden, the Astros are looking into alternatives, including Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker and White Sox ace Garrett Crochet.

Regardless, Houston should be aggressive before the deadline passes. The Astros are 7-3 over their last 10 games and want to keep building momentum. Obtaining another arm and bat before the deadline would help them do that.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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