Houston Astros GM reveals top priority for possible trade deals at deadline

As has been the case with every team in baseball, the Houston Astros have been linked to a number of different potential targets ahead of the MLB trade deadline in late July.

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

As for the Astros, it’s clear there are needs throughout the roster. They could use starting pitches, as well as an upgrade at first base if one is available.

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

In a recent radio quote, Astros general manager Dana Brown revealed a major priority for the team regarding any trade deadline decision. He wants to find players who will be part of the future with “several years of control” in their contract.

Right off the bat, this news likely eliminates a few of the potential first base trade targets that have been linked to Houston.

Targets on expiring deals include Pete Alonso, Christian Walker and Paul Goldschmidt. After this news, it is very likely that none of these three players are legitimate business targets.

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

However, this means that Houston may be willing to pay higher prices to acquire players under control in the coming years. Expiring players are much cheaper to acquire.

All that being said, it will be interesting to see which direction the Astros head before the deadline. They have holes and might still be able to 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.