Injury-Hit Astros Face Crucial Trade Deadline Decisions

Despite dealing with an Injured List long enough to make the average fan start believing in curses, the Houston Astros are going into the 2025 MLB trade deadline as the No. 1 team in the AL West. Their closest division rival — the Seattle Mariners — are still several games behind, and it certainly appears that a playoff campaign is Houston’s to lose.

With that in mind, the injury-plagued Astros are expected to be active buyers at this season’s July 31 deadline — and there’s no shortage of holes to fill in their roster.

Crucial retooling decisions need to be made as the team attempts to return to the World Series for the fifth time in nine seasons, so how can the Astros best set themselves up for a deep playoff run?

Injury Woes in Houston

The Astros have dealt with a seemingly endless string of injuries this season, with 17 players — including seven starting pitchers and five position players who were on their Opening Day lineup — having landed on the IL for various stints.

Shortstop Jeremy Peña, second baseman Brendan Rodgers, outfielder Jake Meyers, designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, and pitchers Lance McCullers Jr., Cristian Javier, and J.P. France are all among those currently sidelined, and most recently, third baseman Isaac Paredes was placed on the IL with a hamstring strain that could rule him out for the rest of the season. In addition, pitchers Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski are both out for the remainder of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and Luis García still hasn’t returned from the IL after having his own TJS in mid-2023.

Despite Houston’s brutal injury woes this season, the team has managed to stay atop the AL West with an impressive 60-44 record, as of July 26. Still, the Astros have been left with numerous holes in their roster, and retooling at the trade deadline will be crucial if they want to play deep into October.

What Do the Astros Need?

Hitting and Position Player Needs

With Alvarez out with a fractured hand, the Astros’ already-established need for another left-handed hitter has only become more dire. Houston has recorded the fewest plate appearances by lefty hitters in MLB this season, and general manager Dana Brown has been clear that balancing the lineup with another left-hander is a top priority.

“We’re still in the same position,” Brown told MLB.com on July 1. “We want to get a left-handed bat. The urgency is there.”

Adding to the team’s trade deadline shopping list, Paredes’ recent hamstring injury — which manager Joe Espada described as “pretty significant” — means the Astros are also in the market for a third baseman or versatile infielder. Paredes’ will be on the IL for at least a few months, if not the rest of the season, and utility player Mauricio Dubón can’t cover both third base for Paredes and shortstop for Peña.

So who could the Astros target over the next week?

Addressing the team’s need for a lefty hitter, ESPN’s Ken Rosenthal recently named the Baltimore Orioles’ Cedric Mullins as a “best fit” for the Astros to target, but considering the outfielder has hit just .184/.230/.342 since April, he’s unlikely to offer much of an upgrade to Houston’s lineup. Other potential targets include the Boston Red Sox’s outfielder Jarren Duran, the Miami Marlins’ right fielder Jesús Sánchez, and the Orioles’ first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, all of whom are rumored to be on the trade block at the deadline.

Still, if the Astros are looking to kill two birds with one stone, the Tampa Bay Rays’ second baseman Brandon Lowe — whose contract includes a club option for 2026 — should be a top consideration.

Lowe was placed on the 10-day IL with left ankle/foot tendinitis on July 22, so depending on his prognosis, the Astros may opt to steer clear of the All-Star, especially considering the length of their own IL. Still, Lowe is a left-handed hitter who could cover for Rodgers at second base, so if his recovery is set to be relatively quick, he’s an obvious fit for Houston.

Pitching Needs

The Astros’ starting rotation is stretched extremely thin with seven starting pitchers — Blanco, Wesneski, Javier, Spencer Arrighetti, García, France, and McCullers — on the IL. Javier, Arrighetti, García, and France are all currently on minor-league rehab assignments and appear likely to return in the coming weeks, but with this many question marks still looming over the rotation’s health, Houston may put feelers out for another starter as the trade deadline nears.

Looking to potential targets, the Astros could turn their attention to Mitch Keller (Pittsburgh Pirates), Merrill Kelly (Arizona Diamondbacks), or Seth Lugo (Kansas City Royals), all of whom are rumored to be on the trade block. The Marlins’ Sandy Alcántara could also be an option — though he certainly wouldn’t come cheap.

Still, adding a starting pitcher may not be Houston’s absolute top priority, and if it comes down to which deadline move is the most important, targeting a left-handed hitter will likely come first.

“[The Astros] also are focused on starting pitching,” The Athletic’s Jim Bowden wrote on July 21, “but in all likelihood they’ll trade for either a left-handed bat or a starting pitcher, not both.”

A Big Move Ahead?

Despite multiple roster needs, the Astros are likely to limit themselves to just one big move at this year’s trade deadline, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Quality tends to trump quantity in these situations, especially when Houston’s starting rotation crisis could soon solve itself with the return of multiple pitchers.

The Astros are in a good position to secure a playoff berth, and — as is the case with all buying teams — their retooling decisions here could make or break the season. GM Dana Brown is set on landing a left-hander hitter to balance the team’s righty-heavy lineup, and once that’s sorted, it’ll just be down to whether the rest of the roster can manage to stay away from the IL.