Astros insider thinks Houston could shake up outfield at trade deadline

Everyone seems to agree that the Houston Astros could really shake things up at the trade deadline. Houston continues to be linked to a potential trade for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and names like Pete Alonso and Cody Bellinger have also been making the rounds in rumors. While nothing seems close, it certainly seems like the Astros could make some waves in the coming weeks.

However, that raises the question of who could leave the organization to get a deal done. There are a number of permutations of prospects who could be sent out of town depending on the deal, but there are a few other trades that may only be possible if the Astros’ trading partners get major league talent in return.

According to Astros reporter Brian McTaggart, that could mean Houston could make a pretty shocking move to include outfielder Jake Meyers in a trade at the deadline.

On the surface, it would be more appealing for the Astros to part ways with struggling outfielder Chas McCormick. As infuriating as Meyers can be at the plate, McCormick has been worse this season in every aspect, while Meyers still has tremendous value as a defender. If Houston can find a team that values ​​McCormick, he could be a good trade chip.

However, McTaggert rightly points out that between the two players, Meyers actually has the higher trade value right now due to his high floor, given his defensive excellence and his extra year of team control over McCormick. There are plenty of scenarios where including Meyers in place of McCormick (or Joey Loperfido, who the Astros definitely should NOT trade) actually makes more sense.

Additionally, it might be wise to trade Meyers now. Again, he’s a top-notch defender in center, but the fact remains that Meyers remains woefully inconsistent at the plate and his 109 wRC+ this season might actually represent a “high-dollar” opportunity for Houston, which would be preferable to sitting tight and letting him become a pumpkin again.

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