3 trades Houston Astros can make to be World Series favorites

With the Houston Astros hoping to win another World Series this fall, improving the bullpen before the trade deadline should be a priority. 

Once again, as expected, the Houston Astros are looking like major players in MLB. Houston is in first place of the AL West and looks like a unit ready to try and bring home another pennant. After losing in the ALCS last year, Houston wants a return trip to the Fall Classic.

In order for that to happen, however, Houston will need to strengthen things up in one area of particular: the bullpen. In this piece, we take a look at three trade candidates for Houston to pursue, while also mixing in a starter.

3. Richard Rodriguez

Indeed, Houston fans are quite familiar with how a poor bullpen can really make or break things. Because of this, there’s no question they need to go after some additional help when it comes to relievers. Richard Rodriguez of the Pittsburgh Pirates would be a big-time get.

While the Astros aren’t in need of a closer, they could land Rodriguez and have him be a set-up guy for Ryan Pressly. Pressly has been superb for Houston, with the 32-year-old really being a dependable arm for Dusty Baker.

With that said, Rodriguez could step in for either the seventh or eighth innings and put things on a platter for Pressly to close out. Imagine that kind of a combination late in the game for the Houston Astros. It’d be nearly unstoppable.

In 2021, Rodriguez is 4-1, with a 2.23 ERA and 13 saves. Pittsburgh has been awful this year, posting a 36-57 record. With Rodriguez’s trade value sky high right now, the Pirates could get a handsome return for him. Obviously, Houston would have to make it worth Pittsburgh’s while, but it’d most definitely be worth losing young prospects if Rodriguez ended up taking the hill for Houston.