The Houston Astros could consider making a massive blockbuster trade

One of the biggest surprises of the first weeks of the 2024 MLB season was the performance of the Houston Astros. The team is 12-22, already seven games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West race and there are no signs of things changing soon.

Houston has given up the fourth-most runs in the American League because its pitching staff just can’t keep it down right now. Given how successful the core of this team has been for so long, they will almost certainly get the benefit of the doubt.

But what happens if we approach the MLB trade deadline later in the summer and the Houston Astros are even closer to last place in the division than first? Until then, some very difficult decisions will have to be made by the front office.

The Astros will be a team that people will be watching very closely over the next few weeks. If they don’t change the situation, they could change the playoff momentum by making some trades.

One player to watch is Alex Bregman. Just Baseball’s Tim Kelly recently ranked the third baseman as the No. 2 player in his top 10 prospects to advance before the deadline. With Luis Arraez, the No. 1 player on the list already traded, Bregman now occupies the top spot in the rankings.

“Even though Bregman had so much success in Houston, there’s something to be said for a change of scenery after playing parts of nine seasons in the same place. A new challenge could reinvigorate Bregman, and given that he has 19 career postseason home runs, there would certainly be plenty of suitors interested in him if the Astros actually listened to him,” Kelly wrote.

With a rough start and as an impending free agent, he’s someone who could draw interest on the trade market. In 31 games, Bregman is hitting .202 with a .284 on-base percentage and .269 slugging percentage. This is all about to hit a career low, as Bregman is mired in one of the worst slumps of his career.

His struggles at the plate have certainly contributed to the Houston Astros’ slow start to 2024. It will be interesting to see how the team plays with him, as his future in Houston is certainly uncertain.

Client of Scott Boras, he will certainly test the market this winter. If the Astros want to make sure they get something in return instead of losing it for nothing, entertaining trade deals this summer are the only way to do that.