Matt Johnson
The Houston Astros got off to a disastrous start this season, entering the middle of May with a 20-31 record. With the club now getting back into playoff contention, recent MLB trade rumors make it clear that Houston will be buyers in July.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported over the weekend that the Astros are showing “strong interest” in Colorado Rockies‘ outfielders Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy.
To the Astros’ credit, they’ve proven to the front office why it’s worth buying ahead of the MLB trade deadline. From June 1 to July 5, per FanGraphs, Houston has posted the seventh-best record in baseball at 18-13. Going back further, the club is tied for the fourth-most wins in Major League Baseball (25) since May 22.
The return of starting pitcher Hunter Brown and a bit of stabilization from the pitching staff has certainly helped that turnaround. However, after a hot start to the season, the Astros’ lineup has cooled down a bit. In that aforementioned 41-game stretch dating back to May 22, the team only ranks 19th in OPS (.725) and 24th in batting average (.235).
It’s not hard to pinpoint Houston’s problem. Across that span, Astros outfielders have combined for a .199 batting average (worst in MLB) and a .614 OPS (29th), even with Yordan Alvarez getting a bit of time (14 games) in the outfield this season.
Moniak, formerly the first overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, has broken out in Colorado. The 26-year-old outfielder, who bats left-handed, boasts a career-best .931 OPS this season and is on pace for personal bests in doubles, home runs and RBI. However, there’s one factor Houston will need to keep in mind.
As noted by ESPN, Moniak boasts a .314/.359/.720 triple-slash line at Coors Field this season with a 1.080 OPS and 12 home runs across 118 at-bats. In 73 at-bats on the road, he has a .219/.278/.411 triple-slash line with a .689 OPS.
McCarthy seems like the better option. The 28-year-old outfielder got off to a disastrous start at the plate this season, combining for a .184/.279/.289 line with a .569 OPS in his first 46 plate appearances. Since then, he boasts a .327/.355/.562 line with a .917 OPS. Furthermore, he has a .292/.333/.434 line on the road in 113 at-bats.
With Houston having recently optioned outfielder Jake Meyers to Triple-A Sugar Land, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the club pulls off a trade for one of Colorado’s outfielders by the end of the month.
