Could Astros Make Aggressive Move To Add Star Pitcher From Division Rivals?

The Houston Astros have opening discussed finding a left-handed bat to add ahead of the trade deadline, and with the latest news regarding Yordan Alvarez and the setback he suffered when recovering from his hand injury, that need is more apparent than ever.

However, starting pitching could be another area the Astros look to bolster.

On the surface, things look fine in that regard.

Despite the multiple injuries that unit has suffered, they are still top 10 in ERA with a 3.67 entering play on the 4th of July. But the rotation has largely been carried by the dominant seasons co-aces Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown have put together.

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Outside of that two-headed monster, Houston doesn't have a single starter that has higher than a 1.0 fWAR, meaning they haven't gotten much outside of their two stars.

That could change in the second half of the year when they get back Spencer Arrighetti and potentially Cristian Javier and J.P. France. But based on recent history when it comes to this starting unit, it's hard to count on that to happen.

So the Astros could look to make a splash like they did ahead of last season's deadline when they acquired Yusei Kikuchi.

Only this time, they have the opportunity to land someone who's not a rental.

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According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Athletics "are now open to trading" Luis Severino despite handing him a three-year, $67 million contract this past offseason.

The veteran right-hander has not adjusted to pitching in the Athletics' minor league ballpark, evident by his home ERA being 6.79 across 10 starts while his road ERA is 3.04 across eight starts.

But the Athletics' willingness to now trade Severino stems from his continued bashing of the home environment, with Nightengale going so far to report, "it may come as a surprise if he's still with the organization come August."

Houston could use this opportunity to strike and add an impact arm.

While Severino's cumulative ERA of 5.09 and ERA+ that's 18 points below the league average doesn't paint a rosy picture, those numbers should be taken with a grain of salt considering his splits.

He's also coming off a resurgent year with the New York Mets in 2024 where he posted a 3.91 ERA across 31 starts, and with how the Astros are able to work their magic with pitchers they bring into their organization, they might be able to get the best of out of the veteran starter considering his Stuff+ metrics are still above the league average.

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What a potential deal comes down to is price.

Houston has not shied away from being aggressive at the deadline when they believe their team has a chance to compete, and based on how this team looks thus far, it would be surprising if they didn't operate in that same manner this season.

The Astros could be further enticed by Severino's remaining club control.

With Valdez set to hit the open market once this campaign ends, acquiring Severino and the $25 million he's owed in 2026 would keep their starting rotation strong on paper since they aren't expected to retain the left-hander in free agency.

Severino also has a $22 million player option for 2027 which could complicate things from a financial standpoint, but if Houston believes the right-hander can help them win this year and in the future, making a play to land him could be on the horizon.

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