Could the Houston Astros be convinced to trade an ace?

The Houston Astros’ season hasn’t gone as planned and that could lead them to do the unthinkable: sell at the MLB trade deadline.

ESPN insider Jeff Passan mentioned the possibility that Houston ends up going all out and trading stars Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez at the trade deadline. While it’s not the most likely outcome, there would have to be a team that makes an offer they can’t refuse.

There’s a team that both needs help getting started in the hunt for a World Series ring And has the farm system to make an offer worth the Astros’ time, the Baltimore Orioles.

Baltimore recently lost two starters for the season due to injuries, John Means and Tyler Wells. They currently have the fourth-best record in baseball and have a number of top prospects the Astros would want.

Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo seem to be the names that will be difficult to pry from the organization. That still leaves plenty of talent in players like Heston Kjerstad, Enrique Bradfield Jr., Connor Norby and Dylan Beavers. Pitchers Cade Povich and Chayce McDermott could also gain traction.

Kjerstad is the highest-ranked prospect in this group, ranking 21st overall in the MLB.

He’s a bit older at 25, but could potentially play right away and show room for growth. The left-handed bat is currently tied for the minor league lead in home runs with 14 while also slashing .325/.412/.669. His short stint in the majors this season hasn’t gone as well, but that shouldn’t drag him down too much.

Any trade the Orioles make this season for a high-profile player would likely have to include his bat.

Both listed pitchers also lead the Minors in strikeouts by a wide margin. McDermott leads with 82 and Povich is second with 75. The next players are tied with 65.

Houston certainly doesn’t need to trade Valdez in the middle of the season. He still has one year left on his contract. They could wait until the offseason, when most trades of this nature take place.

If the Orioles really wanted to, they could make an offer that would be worth Houston’s time if things continue to go poorly this season.

The left-hander is still a very talented pitcher despite some struggles early in the season. If you were to remove the game in which he was bombed out against the Los Angeles Angels, his ERA would still be below 3.00.

This level of traded talent could set you up for the future if handled correctly.