Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (35) reacts after striking out Texas Rangers Evan Carter (32) in the first inning of Game 5 during the American League Championship Series at Globe Life Field on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, in Arlington.
MLB Rumors: Ken Rosenthal details Astros stance at trade deadline
When the Houston Astros were swept at home by the New York Yankees and started the 2024 MLB season in rough shape, many people believed that their championship pedigree would eventually activate. A true resurgence became far tougher to fathom, however, after the club lost several important players to injuries.
The avalanche of misfortune that rocked Minute Maid Park seemingly presented the organization with the choice to just call this year a lost campaign and get a couple of valuable assets in return for franchise pillar Alex Bregman before he enters free agency. But general manager Dana Brown was adamant that Houston would not be sellers at the trade deadline.
While that show of faith offered some encouragement for fans, it was just words. Only a definitive turnaround could allow the Astros to avoid such troubling circumstances. And a depleted starting pitching rotation, underachieving stars and a sidelined Kyle Tucker had the club still in a precarious position at the beginning of June.
What should have been one of the cushiest jobs in the MLB quickly descended into a massive and constant migraine for first-year manager Joe Espada. He stayed composed, though, as did the rest of this battle-tested team. Since Tucker last played on June 3 (out with a shin contusion), the Astros have somehow fired off a 16-7 record and are now only three games behind the Seattle Mariners for first place in the American League West.
They have done it before the reinforcements– Tucker, Justin Verlander, Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr.– even arrive. Despite being far from full-strength, this red-hot 43-41 squad feels mighty dangerous. A top baseball insider is making it clear what this awakening beast intends to do by the MLB trade deadline.
“They will not hold back at the deadline,” Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and Fox told A.J. Pierzynski on the “Foul Territory” podcast. “They will try because they’ve done that repeatedly under {owner} Jim Crane in the past.”
Although no specific targets are listed in the quote above, the notion that this franchise is firmly on the hunt should concern the rest of the AL. The Astros are within striking distance in both the division and wild card races with late bloomer Ronel Blanco leading the pitching staff. Adding another arm or two to the starting rotation can potentially reestablish them as a juggernaut.
