There are MLB people who think the Houston Astros should sell at the trade deadline. But the Astros are standing firm on key tradeable pieces. And here are three sneaky 2026 MLB trade deadline targets for the Astros to chase.
One of the reasons the Astros won’t sell is the weakness of the AL West. The Mariners lead the division, but they are playing only .500 ball (41-41) at the season’s halfway point. Meanwhile, the Astros are 39-43, just two games back heading into Thursday’s games.
Although the Astros are in the middle of the pack in batting average, they rank No. 5 in MLB with 107 home runs. They should have a strong shot at a playoff run.
OF Jarren Duran, Red Sox
After a pair of standout seasons, Duran hasn’t been able to find a true groove in 2025. He was batting just .199 with 12 homers and 37 RBIs going into Thursday’s games.
But Duran still carries a lot of potential. And his bat and speed could make a difference in the Astros’ lineup. Maybe a new team would help, according to ESPN.
“Duran has gone backward offensively and might just need a fresh start,” Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan wrote. “ Duran still has outstanding bat speed, foot speed, and arm strength, along with the feel to defend well in the outfield.
“His pitch selection and bat-to-ball ability can run hot and cold and cause him to be a bit streakier than you’d like. Right now, he is a bit behind his offensive benchmarks across the board, with his whiff rates against fastballs being one red flag to watch.”
The Astros could easily absorb Duran into their outfield. And if he gets back on track, he’s good enough to be a difference-maker down the stretch.
OF Mickey Moniak, Rockies
There’s already a buzz for this deal, according to Bleacher Report.
“As a rental with a 115 wRC+ against righties since 2023, Moniak fits the right kind of risk/reward ratio for the Astros at this juncture,” Zachary D. Rymer wrote. “Given how hard his value has tanked, a trade involving former first-rounder Brice Matthews would be interesting.”
Moniak fits what the Astros need in terms of a left-handed bat with some pop. The seven-year veteran is pushing toward a career-high in home runs after knocking 24 out of the park in 2025. He has 12 this season in just 156 at-bats. Also, his batting average (.282) and on-base percentage (.335) work for the Astros’ lineup.
The concern with Moniak is staying on the field. He’s already been on the IL twice this season. However, he said recently that he believes his ankle woes are behind him, according to MLB.com.
“I’d say [the ankle] is just about 100 percent,” Moniak said. “I think that gave it a good time off. Definitely glad I did. Obviously, going on the IL is never fun. But I think the rest and the recovery was obviously needed.”
Moniak tried to play through ankle problems in 2024. And that’s how he eventually wound up with the Rockies, as the Angels released him.
“With that injury, I played on it all of 2024,” Moniak said. “It didn’t go great, obviously. The biggest thing was catching it early so that I didn’t create any bad habits or start compensating or make it worse, which is kind of what was happening over the 10 days after aggravating it.”
Much like Duran, Moniak provides power. However, his speed isn’t like that of Duran.
OF Lars Nootbaar, Cardinals
In the search for a left-handed bat, the Astros could give a quick phone call to the Cardinals. Nootbaar doesn’t have as much power, but has shown flashes of potential.
There’s a decent chance the Cardinals are willing to move Nootbaar, according to mlbtraderumors.com.
“Nootbaar might well have been traded last offseason were he not recovering from surgery on both heels,” Anthony Franco wrote. “The Cardinals moved most of their veteran players, including Brendan Donovan, when he was also down to two years of arbitration control. Nootbaar was trending towards an extended stint on the injured list to begin this season, however, and a trade would have been selling low.
“The 28-year-old left fielder returned to action at the beginning of June. He’s out to an excellent start, hitting .288/.386/.492 through his first 17 games. Nootbaar had a middling ’25 season while playing through injuries, but was a .246/.351/.426 hitter over the preceding three years. He’s back to being an appealing trade candidate.”
And that appeal finds its way to Houston. Nootbaar’s consistency would be attractive to the Astros.
There seems to be little doubt that the Astros will be major players in the AL West title chase. Right now, the Angels may be the only team that isn’t. And the little edge of landing the right hitter in a trade could make the deciding difference.
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