{"id":387490,"date":"2026-07-27T08:05:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T08:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/387490\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T08:05:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T08:05:17","slug":"houston-astros-affirm-buyer-status-at-trade-deadline-seeking-offense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/387490\/","title":{"rendered":"Houston Astros affirm buyer status at trade deadline, seeking offense"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Jeremy<\/p>\n

Jeremy Pe\u00f1a, who homered twice Sunday in Chicago, and\u00a0Yordan Alvarez pace a top-heavy Astros lineup that general manager Dana Brown hopes to lengthen before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.<\/p>\n

Paul Beaty\/AP Photo\/Paul Beaty\"Chicago<\/p>\n

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Erick Fedde looks down during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Taylor Trammell celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Jeremy Pe\u00f1a celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Jeremy Pe\u00f1a celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco kicks the mound during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Chicago<\/p>\n

Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami of Japan, celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Chicago<\/p>\n

Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami, left, of Japan, celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Chicago<\/p>\n

Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami, of Japan, celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco throws against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco throws against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Jeremy Pe\u00f1a (3) celebrates with Yordan Alvarez after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Jeremy Pe\u00f1a celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Jeremy Pe\u00f1a hits a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada, bottom right, takes the ball from starting pitcher Ronel Blanco, second from top right, during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco reacts during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco reacts during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco reacts after Chicago White Sox’s Miguel Vargas hit a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n

Nam Y. Huh\/Associated Press<\/p>\n

CHICAGO\u00a0\u2014 During a weekend series against the White Sox, the Houston Astros<\/a> lost a starting pitcher to a foot injury in the opener and saw their lower-leverage relievers struggle in a loss in the finale. Before Sunday\u2019s defeat, though, general manager Dana Brown echoed his stance on the trade deadline: Adding offense is the Astros\u2019 priority.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would anticipate that we\u2019re going to be buyers,\u201d Brown told the team\u2019s pregame radio show. \u201cSo it would be really nice to add to our offense in the outfield. We\u2019ve been looking for a left-handed bat, but at this point we\u2019ll take whatever production we can get in the outfield.\u201d<\/p>\n

Houston\u2019s play the past week has enhanced the likelihood of Brown\u2019s first comment. After being swept at home by Baltimore out of the All-Star break, the Astros have won five of six games, sweeping the Marlins<\/a> and taking two of three from the AL Central leaders in Chicago. A 12-3 loss Sunday<\/a> prevented another sweep, but the\u00a0Astros still ended the day two games out of first place in the AL West.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been playing great ball,\u201d shortstop Jeremy Pe\u00f1a<\/a> said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been playing great ball on both sides of the game\u00a0\u2014 pitching, hitting, defense. We\u2019ve got to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pe\u00f1a homered in his first two at-bats Sunday, continuing his torrid pace the last two-plus weeks. A home run by Taylor Trammell comprised the rest of the Astros\u2019 damage, perhaps underscoring Brown\u2019s point.<\/p>\n

The top three hitters in the Astros\u2019 lineup\u00a0\u2014 Pe\u00f1a, Yordan Alvarez and Isaac Paredes\u00a0\u2014 combined to drive in 14 of 18 runs they scored in their three-game sweep of the Marlins. Paredes drove in all four of their runs Saturday in a 4-1 win against the White Sox<\/a>. Relying so heavily on the top of the lineup seems like a suboptimal formula, as impactful as those three hitters have been.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

A 9-5 win Friday<\/a> featured wider impact. Pe\u00f1a, Alvarez and Paredes combined to reach base seven times but drove in no runs. Hitters behind them capitalized on the traffic.<\/p>\n

Sunday displayed the flip side. After Pe\u00f1a, Alvarez was hitless in two at-bats and walked twice. Paredes went hitless, and the rest of the lineup totaled only Trammell\u2019s solo homer.<\/p>\n

BATTERS
\nAVG
\nOBA
\nAB
\nR
\nH
\n2B
\n3B
\nHR
\nRBI
\nBB
\nSO
\nSB
\nCS
\nE<\/p>\n

Team Totals
\n.242
\n.316
\n3593
\n489
\n869
\n158
\n8
\n146
\n467
\n351
\n869
\n37
\n14
\n44<\/p>\n

Alvarez
\n.323
\n.431
\n381
\n72
\n123
\n20
\n0
\n34
\n77
\n70
\n79
\n1
\n0
\n2<\/p>\n

Pe\u00f1a
\n.319
\n.373
\n226
\n47
\n72
\n9
\n0
\n11
\n30
\n17
\n40
\n8
\n1
\n5<\/p>\n

Correa
\n.279
\n.369
\n122
\n22
\n34
\n8
\n0
\n3
\n16
\n18
\n26
\n1
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Delgado
\n.273
\n.314
\n33
\n3
\n9
\n1
\n0
\n1
\n4
\n2
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n2<\/p>\n

Paredes
\n.260
\n.352
\n365
\n43
\n95
\n18
\n1
\n14
\n57
\n40
\n64
\n0
\n0
\n6<\/p>\n

Shewmake
\n.256
\n.272
\n78
\n10
\n20
\n4
\n0
\n3
\n9
\n2
\n13
\n0
\n0
\n2<\/p>\n

Allen
\n.250
\n.295
\n96
\n14
\n24
\n3
\n0
\n1
\n11
\n6
\n23
\n2
\n0
\n2<\/p>\n

Trammell
\n.238
\n.299
\n126
\n16
\n30
\n5
\n1
\n4
\n13
\n9
\n46
\n3
\n1
\n1<\/p>\n

Diaz
\n.233
\n.261
\n189
\n20
\n44
\n9
\n0
\n6
\n23
\n7
\n32
\n0
\n1
\n2<\/p>\n

Walker
\n.232
\n.307
\n380
\n51
\n88
\n20
\n1
\n20
\n61
\n34
\n101
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Altuve
\n.232
\n.297
\n319
\n48
\n74
\n14
\n1
\n12
\n30
\n29
\n76
\n2
\n2
\n3<\/p>\n

Dezenzo
\n.232
\n.303
\n69
\n11
\n16
\n4
\n0
\n1
\n3
\n7
\n27
\n1
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Harris
\n.226
\n.286
\n31
\n4
\n7
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n4
\n2
\n6
\n2
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Loperfido
\n.216
\n.314
\n102
\n13
\n22
\n7
\n1
\n1
\n12
\n14
\n31
\n1
\n1
\n1<\/p>\n

V\u00e1zquez
\n.214
\n.267
\n187
\n18
\n40
\n7
\n0
\n5
\n23
\n14
\n38
\n1
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Smith
\n.206
\n.284
\n344
\n41
\n71
\n13
\n1
\n13
\n36
\n33
\n92
\n10
\n1
\n4<\/p>\n

Meyers
\n.206
\n.264
\n136
\n14
\n28
\n6
\n0
\n3
\n11
\n10
\n30
\n1
\n2
\n0<\/p>\n

Matthews
\n.197
\n.250
\n208
\n23
\n41
\n5
\n1
\n7
\n22
\n15
\n71
\n4
\n4
\n1<\/p>\n

Wade
\n.182
\n.328
\n55
\n9
\n10
\n2
\n0
\n2
\n10
\n12
\n14
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Spence
\n.179
\n.258
\n28
\n2
\n5
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n2
\n11
\n0
\n1
\n1<\/p>\n

Price
\n.167
\n.231
\n12
\n1
\n2
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n6
\n0
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Cole
\n.157
\n.189
\n51
\n4
\n8
\n1
\n0
\n3
\n8
\n1
\n21
\n0
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Johnson
\n.143
\n.294
\n14
\n1
\n2
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Whitcomb
\n.130
\n.167
\n23
\n2
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n5
\n1
\n11
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Salazar
\n.056
\n.227
\n18
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n3
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

PITCHERS
\nW
\nL
\nERA
\nG
\nGS
\nSV
\nIP
\nH
\nR
\nER
\nHR
\nBB
\nSO<\/p>\n

Team Totals
\n52
\n55
\n4.74
\n107
\n107
\n31
\n947.1
\n854
\n536
\n499
\n147
\n462
\n939<\/p>\n

Meyers
\n0
\n0
\n0.00
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Santa
\n0
\n1
\n1.17
\n10
\n0
\n0
\n15.1
\n8
\n6
\n2
\n1
\n6
\n9<\/p>\n

Hader
\n3
\n1
\n1.35
\n22
\n0
\n12
\n20
\n10
\n3
\n3
\n1
\n8
\n33<\/p>\n

VanWey
\n1
\n0
\n1.50
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n6
\n5
\n2
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n5<\/p>\n

Okert
\n3
\n1
\n2.09
\n51
\n1
\n0
\n51.2
\n31
\n13
\n12
\n5
\n12
\n52<\/p>\n

Lambert
\n8
\n5
\n3.03
\n17
\n17
\n0
\n98
\n72
\n33
\n33
\n11
\n38
\n94<\/p>\n

Brown
\n2
\n1
\n3.45
\n9
\n9
\n0
\n47
\n32
\n20
\n18
\n5
\n28
\n50<\/p>\n

Pearson
\n1
\n0
\n3.60
\n16
\n0
\n1
\n20
\n16
\n10
\n8
\n1
\n12
\n16<\/p>\n

Blubaugh
\n4
\n2
\n3.74
\n39
\n0
\n0
\n65
\n51
\n28
\n27
\n8
\n32
\n68<\/p>\n

King
\n2
\n3
\n3.74
\n43
\n0
\n6
\n45.2
\n46
\n21
\n19
\n6
\n16
\n36<\/p>\n

Teng
\n5
\n6
\n4.35
\n25
\n10
\n0
\n68.1
\n62
\n37
\n33
\n10
\n30
\n67<\/p>\n

De Los Santos
\n1
\n3
\n4.41
\n46
\n0
\n5
\n49
\n47
\n27
\n24
\n6
\n12
\n47<\/p>\n

Sousa
\n0
\n0
\n4.50
\n8
\n0
\n0
\n6
\n6
\n4
\n3
\n0
\n5
\n6<\/p>\n

Arrighetti
\n7
\n5
\n4.60
\n17
\n17
\n0
\n88
\n68
\n47
\n45
\n12
\n50
\n87<\/p>\n

Abreu
\n2
\n3
\n5.05
\n39
\n0
\n6
\n35.2
\n29
\n22
\n20
\n7
\n28
\n46<\/p>\n

Roa
\n0
\n1
\n5.19
\n7
\n0
\n0
\n8.2
\n10
\n5
\n5
\n1
\n7
\n6<\/p>\n

Bolton
\n0
\n1
\n5.40
\n8
\n3
\n1
\n20
\n21
\n12
\n12
\n3
\n14
\n22<\/p>\n

Ullola
\n0
\n0
\n5.40
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n5
\n4
\n3
\n3
\n2
\n1
\n7<\/p>\n

Imai
\n6
\n4
\n5.59
\n14
\n14
\n0
\n58
\n49
\n36
\n36
\n9
\n36
\n71<\/p>\n

Burrows
\n4
\n9
\n5.99
\n18
\n17
\n0
\n94.2
\n112
\n69
\n63
\n21
\n35
\n75<\/p>\n

McCullers
\n2
\n3
\n6.86
\n8
\n8
\n0
\n39.1
\n38
\n32
\n30
\n7
\n22
\n43<\/p>\n

Murray
\n0
\n0
\n7.43
\n8
\n0
\n0
\n13.1
\n19
\n11
\n11
\n1
\n7
\n8<\/p>\n

Weiss
\n0
\n3
\n7.62
\n9
\n2
\n0
\n26
\n35
\n24
\n22
\n8
\n20
\n30<\/p>\n

Blanco
\n0
\n1
\n8.10
\n2
\n2
\n0
\n10
\n6
\n9
\n9
\n4
\n6
\n12<\/p>\n

France
\n0
\n0
\n8.10
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n6.2
\n6
\n6
\n6
\n1
\n5
\n4<\/p>\n

Salazar
\n0
\n0
\n9.00
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Alexander
\n1
\n1
\n9.33
\n4
\n2
\n0
\n18.1
\n21
\n19
\n19
\n4
\n8
\n14<\/p>\n

Javier
\n0
\n1
\n9.37
\n7
\n4
\n0
\n16.1
\n21
\n17
\n17
\n3
\n15
\n14<\/p>\n

Gordon
\n0
\n0
\n11.57
\n4
\n1
\n0
\n9.1
\n21
\n12
\n12
\n6
\n3
\n11<\/p>\n

Mu\u00f1oz
\n0
\n0
\n15.75
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n4
\n7
\n7
\n7
\n3
\n6
\n6<\/p>\n

Entering Sunday, the Astros had extracted the lowest OPS in the majors from their outfielders, a .663 mark. Right fielder Cam Smith, back in the lineup this series after a break to work on his swing, hit a key home run Friday<\/a> but went 1-for-11 in the three games. Left fielders were 3-for-11 with two RBIs in the series, and center fielders 3-for-12 with one RBI, the homer by Trammell on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Brown\u2019s assertion that offensive help does not need to be left-handed marked a public deviation from previous comments<\/a> and his long-held desire for lineup balance but acknowledged the Astros\u2019 baseline need for more sources of production. Brown added later on the pregame radio show that \u201cany type of offensive upgrade that can lengthen the lineup would be our focus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

If the Astros do forgo pitching pursuits at the deadline, it will place an onus on their current rotation options to perform. Hunter Brown\u2019s seven scoreless innings Saturday<\/a> were encouraging, as Houston needs its ace to harness that familiar form after a rocky return from a shoulder injury. Losing Spencer Arrighetti to the injured list<\/a> Friday was a less heartening development.<\/p>\n

Arrighetti\u2019s rotation spot might have been tenuous anyway, given his struggles since a brilliant May, but his indefinite absence now only heightens the need for starters returning from surgeries\u00a0\u2014 and Tatsuya Imai<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 to pitch effectively. The Astros have not announced how they plan to fill Arrighetti\u2019s rotation spot, which recurs Wednesday in Anaheim, but activating Hayden Wesneski<\/a> is one option.<\/p>\n

Wesneski is returning from Tommy John surgery. Ronel Blanco<\/a> made his second start back from elbow surgery Sunday at Rate Field. In those two outings, Blanco has allowed just six hits, but four have been home runs. His nine runs allowed reflect the adjustment period that might be expected for any pitcher returning to the majors after arm surgery and an extended layoff.<\/p>\n

Blanco has looked healthy, and he and manager Joe Espada cited signs of progress between his first and second starts. Blanco said he felt his stuff was better and his breaking pitches were sharper. Espada noted that Blanco was efficient enough to begin the sixth inning at 74 pitches, before Miguel Vargas beat a fastball above the zone for a tiebreaking two-run home run.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought there\u2019s some good signs of what he\u2019s doing,\u201d Espada said.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

Results will ultimately outweigh those, though, especially if the Astros focus their efforts on offensive help before the Aug. 3 trade deadline<\/a>. That three of their lower-leverage relievers\u00a0\u2014 two recalled from Triple-A this weekend\u00a0\u2014 combined to allow seven runs after Blanco\u2019s exit Sunday might highlight the need for bullpen help, as well, but it seems unlikely Houston can address all areas.<\/p>\n

Eight days remain for its front office to enact any pursuits. Dana Brown, in his radio appearance Sunday, did not rule out trading from a \u201cmajor-league surplus\u201d on the pitching side to consummate a deal but hedged that \u201cit has to make sense.\u201d A winning week has, at least, put being a buyer back in that realm. Getting help for a top-heavy lineup now appears the Astros\u2019 goal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like we\u2019re all doing a great job of bringing a collective plan to the plate,\u201d Pe\u00f1a said Sunday. \u201cAnd we\u2019re seeing some results. We\u2019ve got to keep building off that and going from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

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