December 23, 2024

The Houston Astros are making a strong push to acquire a quality starting pitcher before Tuesday night.

With Erick Fedde off the market and Garrett Crochet’s situation looking grim for buyers, the number of available starters is dwindling.

Blake Snell of the San Francisco Giants and the two Detroit Tigers aces — Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty — remain untraded, but it’s possible that all three might ultimately stay with their current teams.

The Season That Was: Yusei Kikuchi - Bluebird Banter

Houston must consider other options beyond these names, and Yusei Kikuchi of the Toronto Blue Jays is a strong candidate.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported on Monday that the Astros are one of the teams in talks with Toronto about Kikuchi.

“The Dodgers are among the teams discussing Yusei Kikuchi trade proposals with the Blue Jays,” Morosi said. “The Twins, Padres, and Astros also are involved. A Kikuchi deal is seen as very likely before 6 pm ET tomorrow.”

With significant competition potentially vying for Kikuchi, Astros general manager Dana Brown may need to offer Toronto a substantial package for the All-Star left-hander.

Brown has also been in talks with the Chicago Cubs about Jameson Taillon, who will also require a substantial return.

If the Astros want to enter August with another reliable arm in their rotation, Brown will need to pay a steep price to secure the deal.

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