MLB Trade Deadline: 5 teams that could shape the trade market

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Jun 14, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers (43) pitches during the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are the feel-good story of the season thus far, storming out to a 3.5 game lead in the American League West. They possess one of the more exciting line-ups in the game, a hit-or-miss experiment of highly touted young prospects and castaways finally making good.

But are they really ready to compete or is 2015 just a preliminary taste of what is to come.

Years of picking in the top five of the draft has given the Astros the resources to get a move done, and the team definitely has some needs to fill. Ideally, the first of those would be plugging in a veteran starter into their rotation, one which may help solidify a very young and talented staff. Additionally the team could use a veteran hitter, and preferably one that makes consistent contact that would stabilize a line-up riddled with high strike-out totals.

However, the Astros may be better served staying the path they are on and not putting the horse before the cart. The talent that continues to rise through the system is going to continue to fill those holes, and we’ve already seen some tastes of that this season (see Correa, Carlos or McCullers, Lance). Making a short-sighted move would get them away from the building process that Jeff Luhnow has strove to instill in Houston.

That said, the Astros could still make a low-grade move, perhaps lining up with Philadelphia for Aaron Harang or making a play for Zobrist. But don’t expect them to get to antsy and break the system for a top-tier arm or hitter.

Next: Best Starting Pitchers in MLB History

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