The Houston Astros are in the middle of a great season once again. They sit atop the American League West by 4.5 games and are in second place in the AL standings overall. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any issues with the roster.
There are two glaring areas where the team needs to improve: left field and left-handed batting. Fortunately, there is a way for the Astros to resolve both issues with one move. Chandler Rome of The Athletic presented Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins as an ideal trade target for the team.
Houston, with their lack of a left fielder and need for a lefty bat, could solve both by adding the dynamic Mullins to their outfield. He could slide over from center field to left, or move Jake Meyers to left if the Astros deem one or the other more suitable.
But, regardless of how the outfield would be constructed, Mullins coming to Houston would be a perfect fit for the Astros. He’s 30 years old and in the final year of his deal. He’d be a reasonable price to acquire, and shouldn’t be out of the Astros’ price range.
Unfortunately, his expiring deal isn’t the only reason he’d be a reasonable trade target. In 2025, he hasn’t been at his best. In 62 games, Mullins has 49 hits, 31 runs scored,11 doubles, 12 home runs, eight stolen bases, 26 walks, and 65 strikeouts.
He’s hitting just .220 on the year, but he has an OPS of .736 and an OPS+ of 109. He’s above league average as a hitter, but his defense has been suspect at best. He has negative 14 defensive runs saved in the outfield and has a fielding run value of negative two. While he’s struggled overall, in 2021, Mullins was one of baseball’s best outfielders.
Mullins was an All-Star, hit 30 home runs, totaled 175 hits, and had a .878 OPS on the season, the only time he’s been above .740 in his career. While he hasn’t matched or gotten close to that season since, the Astros could take a chance on him to see if he can bounce back in a new environment.
Rome linking Mullins to Houston is due to how Mullins can kill two birds with one stone. He’s an outfielder, a position of need, and also a lefty bat, the type of hitter that they need. It might not work, but a trade proposal that lands Mullins in Houston could help Mullins reset, while giving the Astros the position and type of player they’re looking for.
