With the MLB trade deadline less than 12 hours away, the Houston Astros are expected to be active in the trade market. After landing Ramon Urias from the Baltimore Orioles late Wednesday night, the Astros are now eyeing some left-handed-hitting outfield options.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Astros are interested in a trio of St. Louis Cardinals left-handed hitting outfielders. Those players are Lars Nootbaar, Brendan Donovan, and Alec Burleson.
The St. Louis Cardinals, who are wide open for business, have several teams_including the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies_ expressing interest in the likes of Lars Nootbaar, Alec Burleson and Brendan Donovan
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 31, 2025
Each of these three players would cost the Astros a lot to land, but they would be incredible additions to the roster if they could swing a deal.
Donovan is the most intriguing of the bunch. Houston is looking for a second baseman and a left fielder. Donovan is both, and is also a left-handed hitter. If Brandon Lowe is off the table, Donovan is the top choice for the Astros at the deadline.
The big issue is his cost. He's 28 years old, under team control through 2027, and was just named to his first All-Star game. His value is at an all-time high, and the Astros might find landing him tricky.
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Nootbaar and Burleson, meanwhile, are two intriguing outfield options. Like Donovan, they are left-handed hitters, and while neither is an All-Star, they each have their appeal.
Burleson is hitting .287 with 14 home runs, while Nootbaar has a .227 average with nine home runs, but is still a solid hitter with a .712 OPS and 102 OPS+. Nootbaar is the worst offensive player of the three, but is still an expensive trade target.
Like Donovan, he's under control through 2027, while Burleson is under control through 2028. Any of these three left-handed Cardinals hitters would cost a lot for the Astros. But if Houston is going all-in, then any of these three would be a nice addition to the club.
The three players that Nightengale links to Houston in this report would all be great pickups for the Astros. They're all left-handed hitting outfielders, and with Donovan, he doubles as a second baseman. He'd be the ideal target for Houston at the deadline.
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