The Houston Astros were one of the most active teams on the days leading up to the MLB trade deadline last week. They prioritized trading for players who can fill the positional gaps in the team's batting lineup.
In doing so, Houston traded for the following players: shortstop Carlos Correa from the Minnesota Twins, third baseman Ramon Urias from the Baltimore Orioles, and outfielder Jesus Sanchez from the Miami Marlins.
All three new additions are players who will be under the Houston Astros' control for future years to come. Correa has the longest contract, which runs through 2028 with vesting options linked from 2029 to 2032. Sanchez will be in team control until after 2027, and Urias will be in team control through the 2026 season.
These deals give manager Joe Espada and general manager Dana Brown multiple years to put together lineups that will lead to the team's best outcomes. Brown spoke about what to expect for years to come with a fully healthy Astros team. One factor will be getting Isaac Paredes fully healthy by next season after suffering a torn hamstring in late July.
"We could potentially play Paredes at 2nd. We could try Correa at 2nd," Brown told SportsTalk 790, according to Astros writer Michael Schwab.
Houston will be having some testing to do with a team at full health. After trading for shortstop Carlos Correa, the team has started to transition him to a new position at third base. However, once Isaac Paredes returns, the third base and second base positions will be determined later on.