Could Astros Solve Rotation Woes With Trade for Talented Rays Pitcher?

The Houston Astros have almost every piece to be a real contender to win the 2025 World Series.

They have a nearly unmatched one-two punch atop their starting rotation in Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez, both of whom have been among baseball's best starters this year.

They have excellent high-leverage options at the back end of their bullpen, most notably closer Josh Hader, who is authoring a career renaissance type of season this year after being far from his best in 2024.

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The Astros also possess a fearsome lineup when everybody is healthy, led by Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, Jose Altuve, Christian Walker and Cam Smith.

If the lineup can find health down the stretch, the only thing missing is a reliable third starter that often becomes a crucial piece in playoff series.

Cristian Javier and Luis Garcia are both capable of being that player, but they're working their way back from long-term injuries and there's no guarantee that either of them comes back at the peak of their powers.

It would not be wise to rely upon them to fill the void, and with the July 31 trade deadline approaching, general manager Dana Brown and the front office have a chance to add the sort of starter the team needs.

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While there are scarce surefire aces on the market and Houston does not have the top-end prospect capital to bid as high as some other teams can, one intriguing option might be surprisingly available.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Tampa Bay Rays are listening to offers on young right-handed starting pitcher Taj Bradley.

The Rays operate in a near-constant state of both buying and selling, and even in a season in which they're competitive, it makes sense that they would be willing to move a player like Bradley if they feel they're getting fair value.

Bradley is a talented 24-year-old who made his debut to some fanfare in 2023, but he hasn't quite found consistency in his results.

This season, he's thrown 103.2 innings of 4.60 ERA ball. That mark is in line with his output from the prior two years, but Tampa Bay may be concerned by the fact that his strikeout rate has plummeted.

In his first two seasons, he's struck out well over a batter per inning, but in 2025, he has just 89 punchouts.

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Both Houston and the Rays have proven to be phenomenal landing spots for pitchers to maximize their skill sets, so while other teams may fear the fact that Bradley hasn't quite figured it out in Tampa, the Astros may feel like they could unlock another level.

If that factor makes them more willing to meet the asking price than other teams, such a move could prove pivotal in elevating Houston to the highest tier of World Series contender.

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