Astros Named Top Deadline Fit in Huge Trade for Royals Ace To Secure Rotation

The Houston Astros have established themselves as a serious contender in the American League and despite a rough start to the year, they have figured it out.

Even with a number of injuries both in the pitching staff and in the lineup which looked like it could completely derail things, the Astros seem to just keep on winning games and creating distance in the American League West.

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Against all odds considering what they lost in the offseason and during the season, Houston is very much a force to be reckoned with once again. How they approach the trade deadline in three weeks could either affirm that or put them in a tough spot down the stretch.

This team has proven they are capable of winning though, and with the weaknesses of the American league, Astros brass should absolutely be buying and chasing another ring.

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Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown have been dominant at the top of the rotation, however the run of injuries behind them has been unlike anything this team has seen in a long time. Adding another starting pitcher would take a dynamic duo to a terrific trio and give Houston a fantastic chance in any playoff series.

In an article on Thursday naming the best trade fit for each team as they approach the deadline, Jeff Passan of ESPN for the Astros named Kansas City Royals All-Star right-hander Seth Lugo.

"...even if the cost is heavy and eats into a farm system that's among the worst in MLB, targeting a pitcher of Lugo's ilk would give them among the nastiest postseason rotations in the game and further entrench the Astros as a force," Passan wrote.

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Lugo would not come supremely cheap in the midst of the best season of his career. The 35-year-old has pitched to a 2.67 ERA and 1.079 WHIP over his 17 starts to follow up last year's campaign in which he finished runner-up for American League Cy Young.

He has a player option for $15 million next season, but with how good his last two seasons have been, it's almost a guarantee that Lugo is a half season rental, which should bring his price down in a trade.

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Houston last season traded for Yusei Kikuchi under similar circumstances and he was fantastic down the stretch. Perhaps a similar deal can be swung here for Lugo as the Royals fall out of contention and are a real contender to be a major deadline seller.

Ahead of the July 31 date in which deals have to be made by, look for the Astros to at least attempt to swing something major for either Lugo or a different starter.

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