The Houston Astros are surging into the All-Star break, now holding a 6.5-game lead over second-place Seattle in the AL West. It was a bit dicey out of the gate this season, but Houston has swiftly re-established itself as the division's foremost contender and a serious World Series threat.
That said, GM Dana Brown has some tough calls to make at the trade deadline. Houston's lineup is far too reliant on right-handed hitters. With Jordan Álvarez on the 60-day IL due to a hand fracture, the only real lefty options in the Astros lineup right now are outfielder Taylor Trammell, who has a career .632 OPS, and rookie Jacob Melton, who is hurt.
Brown has openly admitted the Astros' need for left-handed hitting. With the infield well-stocked, it's only logical for the Astros to target an upgrade over Trammell or Melton in the outfield. But what if that upgrade opens the door for another trade: one that sends upstart centerfielder Jake Meyers to a new home?
It's certainly not impossible. In fact, there are plenty of reasons to think it's a swell idea for the Astros' front office, despite Meyers' season-long impact in the heart of the lineup.
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Astros need to consider selling high on Jake Meyers at trade deadline
Meyers is sure to garner significant interest on the trade front. He's 29 years old, smack in the middle of his prime, making $2.3 million — and he's still under arbitration through 2027, giving his hypothetical next team three potential playoff runs with Meyers in the lineup before worrying about a new contract and a significant pay raise.
This has been Meyers' best season to date by a comfortable margin. He's batting .308 with a .744 OPS and 14 stolen bases. He's disciplined at the plate, dangerous on the bases and, yeah, he's also a serious Gold Glove contender at a premium position, with a whopping 10 Outs Above Average in centerfield this season (98th percentile, per MLB).
Every team looking for an extra outfield bat or a defensive boost can mount the internal case for acquiring Meyers. So why should Houston trade him?
This Jake Meyers run feels like a flash in the pan
Well, because this feels ever so slightly light a mirage. Nothing Meyers is doing looks unsustainable, but there is some luck involved. His expected batting average, while still great, is only .281 — almost 30 ticks worse than his actual output. Meyers doesn't really produce hard contact or get much lift into the outfield gaps. This is also his first season with an OPS above .700 since he posted an OPS of .761 in 49 games as a rookie back in 2021.
This is prime sell-high territory. Meyers checks a lot of boxes for opposing teams at the deadline, while Houston can quietly target his replacement in a separate trade and lean into the substantial outfield talent in their farm system. Melton is due back from the IL soon and there's still immense upside there. So is Chas McCormick. Houston has the bodies to get by, and if Brown manages to land someone like Cedric Mullins, they could flank him with Jose Altuve and Cam Smith while Meyers could return multiple valuable assets for the future.