3 Houston Astros who won’t survive the trade deadline if doomsday scenario continue

It's put up or shut up time for the Houston Astros. All season we've heard that they're going to turn things around after their slow start, yet after another excruciating loss on Monday, the Astros are 30-37 on the year. Not only are they 7.5 games out of the AL West lead, but they're now 5.5 games back of the third Wild Card spot with several teams to jump.

The Astros will do anything in their power to not sell at this year's trade deadline, but there will be a point in which their deficit is insurmountable. 5.5 games probably isn't it, but what if this losing continues? What if the Astros continue to throw away winnable games and fall further out of postseason contention? Eventually, Dana Brown and Co. will have to consider selling.

While it's hard to envision the Astros parting with guys like Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez who have another year of club control after this one, they do have three key players who might not survive past the trade deadline if Houston falls completely out of postseason contention.

3. Ryan Pressly might not survive the trade deadline

Ryan Pressly has been one of the best relievers in the American League since the Astros traded for him in 2018. He was one of the best closers in baseball before Houston opted to sign Josh Hader this past offseason. Pressly hasn't been the same pitcher since being demoted to a set-up role.

The 35-year-old has a 5.40 ERA in 27 appearances this season for the Astros. His five blown saves are tied for the MLB lead. He has also taken three losses out of the bullpen. The bullpen was supposed to be a major strength for this Astros team, but thanks in large part to Pressly, it has been anything but.

Pressly struggling mightily and having $14 million guaranteed on his deal next season might not make him a very attractive trade candidate, but his body of work suggests that he'll bounce back at some point, and that should be enough to have teams show some sort of interest. Perhaps pitching for a new team that is competing for the postseason will give him the spark he needs.

There's a very real chance that the Astros won't want to pay an eight-figure salary to an older reliever who isn't closing games for them in 2025, so they could simply do whatever it takes to get something for him now.

2. Alex Bregman's trade value is rapidly increasing

Part of why Houston struggled so much out of the gate is because their star third baseman, Alex Bregman, was doing nothing offensively. In his first 33 games of the season, Bregman was slashing .189/.268/.252 with one home run. He had been dropped to sixth in the batting order.

In the 30 games he has played since then, Bregman is slashing .286/.339/.563 with eight home runs. He has looked much more like the Bregman of old and has been moved back to hitting second or fourth in the lineup.

Bregman, of course, is in his final year of team control before hitting free agency at the season's end. He'll be one of many Astros players seeking massive contracts in the next couple of years. Rather than pay Bregman who despite his hot streak has seen his numbers decline rapidly since his 2019 MVP runner-up year, they can trade him. Thanks to his recent hot streak, they might be able to get something good for him.

1. Justin Verlander could be traded again

The Astros pulled off a major blockbuster at last year's trade deadline, acquiring Justin Verlander in a deal with the New York Mets. This was a bit of a surprising move because Verlander had departed in free agency just months prior and was already back in Houston trying to win a World Series.

The Astros fell short last season, and Verlander hasn't quite been the same this season. He missed the beginning of the year due to injury, and in the 10 starts he has made he has posted a 3.95 ERA in 57 innings pitched. His 4.97 FIP suggests that he might even be lucky to have a sub-4.00 ERA.

Thanks to Steve Cohen's wallet, Verlander is making a somewhat reasonable $22.5 million this season. His option for 2025 vests if he can pitch 140 innings this season. That number will be at just $17.5 million again, thanks to the Mets. Verlander on excusable money could have a robust market, especially without many known sellers out there.

It's unclear as to what Houston can get for a 41-year-old Verlander and if Verlander would even accept a trade to leave Houston, but if a contender out there is willing to make a strong offer, it'd be foolish for the Astros or Verlander to turn a deal down. He's clearly in decline, and it's better for Houston to cash in now.