Astros rumors: Why Houston could ‘crush’ selling at trade deadline this year

As the Houston Astros start the series against the Chicago Cubs on Friday, the baseball world is wondering if the team will make big changes by the MLB trade deadline. While rumors will surround the Astros until the trade deadline, this MLB insider discusses the possibility of the team being sellers.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN, there are other executives in the majors who see Houston as a ball club that could “reset their future.”

“With so many teams competing for playoff spots, from the Cincinnati Reds to the surprising St. Louis Cardinals to the Pittsburgh Pirates, that dealer void could develop — which could lead to the opportunity for a progressive owner or general manager to unload players and reset their future. Rival executives look at Houston as a team that could choose this route and do well for itself,” Olney wrote.

“The Astros are 20-31, and it appears that their decade of dominance is over,” Olney continued.

One rival executive would even say to Olney that Houston could “crush it” in regard to a return for their star players.

“If they ever decided to become sellers,” said a rival evaluator, “they could crush it [in value return].”

Who the Astros could look to trade

While the rumors around the Astros will continue, especially after this report, there have been some players who have been speculated to be traded, like Christian Walker, Isaac Paredes, and Josh Hader. As Ken Rosenthal mentions those names, he would claim that star slugger Yordan Alvarez is not one that he thinks Houston will trade.

“Isaac Paredes, he would be the most obvious if they are out of contention,” Rosenthal said, via FOX Sports. “Josh Hader and Christian Walker, they would be two others who would draw interest, but both have really high salaries. So that would limit the returns, and Hader also has a full no-trade clause.”

“I’d be shocked. Jim Crane is not one to concede. He’s not going to concede the future as well as the present”@Ken_Rosenthal does not believe the Astros will be trading Yordan Alvarez, but he does give some names Houston could trade away if they don’t turn their season around pic.twitter.com/W6OAZZasRl

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 11, 2026

It remains to be seen what the Astros do at the trade deadline, as the team is currently 20-31, which puts them fourth in the AL West. The record is also tied for second-worst in the entire MLB.

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