The Houston Astros refuse to let a record number of injuries keep them from competing at the highest level in the American League this season. Pretty much all of their elite bats are sidelined with various ailments, but they still maintain a four-game lead in the AL West. They've been good enough, even in a season marred by injuries, to potentially buy at the MLB trade deadline this week and try for a real push in the postseason. The Astros might even go big fish hunting — they've been linked to Eugenio Suarez in recent days, most recently by The Athletic, which said, "...The Astros have at least checked in with the Arizona Diamondbacks to make their interest known."
The one star who has remained healthy for Houston, Jose Altuve, doesn't seem overly concerned with the front office making moves in the next 72-ish hours. Also from The Athletic:
“I don’t think I’m really thinking about (the deadline)... “I’m thinking about the guys we have here. The guys that are showing up every day to play the game. We’re still in first place, so we’re going to leave it up to (the front office) and see our guys get healthy at some point and join the club.”
Sure, a full strength Astros team would still be competitive — but with only four games separating the Astros from the Mariners and white-hot Rangers, waiting around and hoping for continued production from the makeshift roster currently taking the field is a risky proposition for the Astros.
Astros trades come with inherent risk, but the window is open
The Astros would be playing a dangerous game by buying at the deadline. Currently, they have just one player in the MLB Top 100 prospects list, and it's Brice Matthews — who's already on the big league team. Matthews has been a revelation in his short career thus far, but there isn't much depth outside of him coming through Houston's farm system.
But maybe that lack of potential star power in the minors makes Houston want to win more in the next couple of years. If the future is already looking bleak, why not double down on the present? It sounds a little crazy, but Houston has stayed afloat this year thanks to unexpected heroes stepping up. That's been impressive to watch, but they can't rely on this roster producing all year long and through the playoffs, and Altuve's strategy of "Just wait until everyone comes back," is a huge gamble in its own right. What if all the injured stars take some time getting back into rhythm? What if they're out just a little longer than expected?
This trade deadline will be a balancing act for the Astros. Can they improve the team now, not completely decimate their farm system, and still keep an eye on 2026 and 2027?