With the MLB trade deadline only weeks away, the Houston Astros are expected to be buyers to help them make a second-half push.
The Astros are sitting comfortably ahead of the second-place Seattle Mariners (6.5 games) in the AL West. However, Houston likely wants to clinch a top-two seed in the American League, which would give them some rest after the regular season.
To accomplish that second feat, the Astros need to find a way to get a left-handed bat and another starting pitcher. It won’t be easy to get either thing, as there will be other contenders around the majors vying for the same things.
Astros Should Target Seth Lugo to Bolster Rotation Ahead of Trade Deadline
However, when it comes to starting pitching, ESPN’s Jeff Passan believes that veteran pitcher Seth Lugo would be a good fit for the Astros’ starting rotation.
"So even if the cost is heavy and eats into a farm system that's among the worst in MLB, targeting a pitcher of Lugo's ilk would give them among the nastiest postseason rotations in the game and further entrench the Astros as a force. Lugo's peripherals suggest he's in line for regression but even if his ERA does jump from its current 2.67 mark, his nine-pitch mix gives him the flexibility to adjust in-game -- a luxury shared by only a handful of starters in the game."
The Kansas City Royals are only three games out of the final wild card spot in the AL, so they aren’t exactly in seller mode. But the 35-year-old Lugo is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale reported last week that teams believe Lugo will be put on the trade block if the Royals fall out of the playoff race.
If that does happen, Houston should inquire about the 35-year-old, who is pitching well, despite what his advanced stats say.
Lugo has a 6-5 record and 2.67 ERA across 17 starts. The right-handed pitcher has given up 78 hits, 32 runs (30 earned), 31 walks, and 15 home runs, while striking out 88 hitters in 101 innings pitched.
Opponents are hitting .214 this season against the Royals starter, but Lugo’s home run (3.7) and walk percentages (7.7) have gone up from last year, which were 1.9 and 5.7, respectively. It also doesn’t sit well that his hard hit rate is at 46.8%, which is a notable increase from 2024 (39.0).
As things stand, the Astros have two frontline starters in Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez, who can do damage in the postseason. However, everything after that is a mystery. That’s where Lugo steps in. He can slot in as the Astros’ No. 3 starter, which would give you three good options in the ALDS.
That said, if not Lugo, the Astros need to make starting pitching a priority. As we get closer to the deadline, we’ll hear more names pop up on the rumor mill. Houston has done well up to this point despite missing their star slugger Yordan Alvarez. But the Astros need to add more reinforcements to compete for the AL pennant.