Houston Astros linked to trade target for Reds’ sleeper first baseman

The Houston Astros are a team to watch ahead of the MLB trade deadline later this month. They could look to be aggressive in the trade market and the first base position is a need for them.

Although they have been linked to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Pete Alonso, both of those players seem more likely to stay with their current teams.

Obviously, both of these players would be game-changing additions for the franchise. However, there are plenty of other potential first base targets the Astros could consider acquiring that are much more likely to be traded and also much cheaper.

One such option could be Cincinnati Reds veteran first baseman Jeimer Candelario.

Chron.com It has recently been suggested that Candelario could be a target for Houston. He would be a quality addition and would not cost as much as the two previous superstars mentioned.

“Candelario may be my favorite name here given that he’s an ambidextrous hitter and an extra-base machine, and while the Reds are currently competitive, their, well, frugal owner might be tempted to shed his combined $29 million cap over 2025 and 2026. Candelario can also play third base in addition to first, making him a possible replacement for Alex Bregman if Crane himself wants to keep costs down while still having a veteran at the hot corner.”

During the 2024 season, Candelario played in 76 games. He hit .240/.294/.458 with 14 home runs and 40 RBIs.

He’s not the player who’s going to single-handedly propel the Astros to the playoffs. But he would be a major upgrade over what Houston is currently working with.

Candelario’s ability to play third base would also give the Astros some options. It could even allow them to deal Alex Bregman in a separate trade if they wanted.

While that could be an option, it seems much more likely that Candelario is acquired to play first base.

The 30-year-old would also be an asset to the franchise moving forward. He still has two years left on his contract after 2024 and also has a player option for a third year.

Dana Brown would likely prefer to acquire players who aren’t midseason rentals. Candelario would check that box, too.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming weeks. Houston appears to be a very busy team heading into the trade deadline.