The Houston Astros are primed to be a contender in the American League, but that might not be the case if they don’t do something before the trade deadline. Thursday marks the day where teams will try to acquire the final piece to make a push toward October, and one Astros rival already landed the first strike when the Seattle Mariners acquired Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.
Houston’s farm system isn’t stocked with top-end talent, so it may have to use some of its major league pieces in order to facilitate a deal. One Astros veteran has been on high alert for most of the season, and the chances of him getting moved with the trade winds seem to be increasing with the deadline approaching.
Astros OF Chas McCormick Could Be Key Bargaining Chip at MLB Trade Deadline
Chas McCormick used to be one of the most promising players on the Astros roster. But after a strong start to his career, McCormick hasn’t been able to shake off the struggles that may punch his ticket out of Houston.
A 21st-round pick by the Astros in the 2017 draft, McCormick was a solid player after making his major league debut in 2021. In his first three seasons, McCormick hit .259/.336/.449 with 50 homers, 164 RBI, and 27 stolen bases on 38 attempts, and he logged 7.4 wins above replacement, making him a steady regular in the Houston lineup.
Unfortunately, injuries have been a problem for McCormick over the past two seasons. He landed on the IL with a right hamstring injury in May of 2024 and suffered a fractured right hand in September before returning for the two-game sweep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers. He also has had two separate stints on the injured list with an oblique injury this season, joining a crowded group in the Astros' training room.
McCormick had a successful rehab stint and recently rejoined the active roster but the biggest issue has been his power. McCormick owns a .301 slugging percentage and an OPS+ of 66 over the past two seasons and has just two extra base hits in 74 plate appearances this season.
Even with Jose Altuve being a defensive liability in left field and Jake Myers battling through a calf injury in center, McCormick hasn’t been able to carve out regular playing time, and he hasn’t been impactful when he’s been in the lineup. Now 30 years old, the Astros may be convinced to pull the plug, but it’s a matter of who could be interested.
One of the Astros' recent targets has been Tampa Bay second baseman Brandon Lowe. Lowe fits the bill for what Houston is looking for, hitting .269/.320/.480 with 19 homers and 50 RBI in 86 games, and would be a massive boost to a lineup that expects to get Jeremy Peña and Yordan Alvarez back soon. While Lowe is effective, he won’t come cheap as a reigning All-Star playing for a Rays team that’s 1.5 games back of the final wild card spot in the AL entering Saturday.
McCormick wouldn’t be a centerpiece for a trade with Tampa, but he could at least be a component. The Rays’ outfield is set with Josh Lowe, Chandler Simpson, and Jake Mangum, but McCormick could provide an upgrade to the bench and give Tampa someone with some postseason experience.
There’s also a chance that McCormick could be part of a smaller trade to fix the bullpen or the rotation. Another team may be willing to see if they can help McCormick reach his previous form, and he could be enough to land a mid-tier pitcher that could help a staff that coughed up four homers to Nick Kurtz on Friday night.
McCormick could stick around with the rash of injuries that Houston is dealing with. But it feels like things have run its course. The Astros will certainly be looking to make a deal in the coming weeks, and McCormick could be a name that winds up on the chopping block.