With the Houston Astros having two strong starters at the top of their rotation in Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown, the Astros can contend with any team in a postseason series. However, after those two, the pitching options for the Astros aren’t as exciting.
To fix that, and add a more dynamic pitcher and create a three-headed monster of a rotation, Dylan Sanders of Sports Illustrated predicted that the Astros could trade for Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale.
With the Braves in the middle of a free-fall, they could become sellers at the MLB trade deadline. If they do, there would be no player more highly coveted than Sale on the Braves roster.
While he struggled at the beginning of the year, he’s looked much better as of late. His recent production, combined with the Braves’ struggles and the Astros’ need in the starting rotation, gave way for Sanders to make that connection.
“Over his past 10 starts,” Sanders writes. “He (Sale) has a 1.61 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 61.2 innings of work with a 1.13 WHIP. He would be one of the best possible additions that the Astros could make next month.”
If Sale hit the market, almost every team in contention would be vying for him. The Astros, with their current rotation questions after Valdez and Brown, would be a great fit for the Braves’ starting rotation.
As Sale has one more year left of control, a club option for $18 million in 2026, the Braves could look to move him if they deem a return worth it. With plenty of teams likely to be interested, the Astros would have tough competition in fighting for the Braves’ starter.
The 2024 Cy Young winner in the National League would be a huge addition to the Astros’ rotation and would put any worries over Lance McCullers, Ryan Gusto, Colton Gordon, and the litany of starters on the injured list behind them.
Sale, while an expensive option for the Astros to target, would be a massive addition to the rotation. He’d likely elevate the Astros to not only being atop the teams in the American League, but also one of the top contenders for the World Series.
