Houston Astros GM Reveals Top Priority for Potential Deals at Trade Deadline

As has been the case with all baseball teams, the Houston Astros They have been linked to quite a few different potential targets ahead of the MLB trade deadline in late July.

While it is easy to tie a team to a player, the actual strategy for the front office is often very different. It’s not always about acquiring the most talented player available on the market.

When it comes to the Astros, it’s clear there are needs throughout the roster. They could use some starting pitching, as well as an upgrade at first base if one is available.

Despite the needs and some available players who could perfectly fit the immediate needs, Houston has a strategy in mind.

In a recent radio interview, Astros general manager Dana Brown revealed a big priority for the team with any moves it makes at the trade deadline. He wants to find players who are part of the future who have “several years of control” left on their contract.

Right off the bat, this news will likely eliminate some of the potential first baseman trade targets that have been linked to Houston.

Targets on expiring deals include Pete Alonso, Christian Walker and Paul Goldschmidt. After this news, it’s highly likely that none of those three players are legitimate trade targets.

It also limits what the Astros would do to improve their pitching situation.

What it does mean, however, is that Houston could be willing to pay higher prices to acquire players under control in the coming years. Expiring players are much cheaper to acquire.

All that said, it will be interesting to see which direction the Astros head in before the deadline. They have holes and can still compete for a playoff spot with the right moves.

This news definitely changes some things, but there are still a handful of talented players with future control that could make sense.