The Houston Astros sit in first place in the AL West by five games over the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers, though the future could be bleak thanks to several factors out of their control. First, the Seattle Mariners traded for third baseman Eugenio Suarez, who was the best impact bat on the open market. Suarez was a former Mariner, making such a trade an easy sell, though. Meanwhile, Houston is dealing with some injury issues of their own.
Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, third baseman Isaac Paredes is expected to be out until Opening Day 2026 with his hamstring injury. Thus, the Astros urgency to find a new star at the hot corner of their own went up dramatically.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
The Astros need bats in wake of Isaac Paredes injury
Houston general manager Dana Brown said the Astros are prioritizing bats at the deadline in the wake of Paredes injury.
“We’re still looking for a left-handed bat, so that didn’t change,” Brown said on a Houston radio show. “If it’s an infielder, great. If it’s an outfielder, we’ll take that as well. It really didn’t change much, it’s just more of a preference to be an infielder now.”
The best bet for Houston after the Suarez trade might be to pivot to a familiar name. This winter, the Astros tried and failed to trade for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Could the Astros trade for another Paredes backup plan?
There is no guarantee Arenado would waive his no-trade clause this time around, but the Cardinals are desperate enough to try. St. Louis and John Mozeliak want Arenado's contract off their books – so much so they wouldn't ask for much in return. If the Astros can sell Arenado on Houston, which is just one of the many moving parts in this trade, then perhaps it makes sense.
The Astros could also deal for Yandy Diaz of the Tampa Bay Rays, who has played third base in the past. Ramon Urias, who was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, also has experience at third.
The Astros have options, though it's unlikely any of them add up to Suarez's production (or Paredes' for that matter), and that's part of the problem.