The Astros’ ongoing struggles have fueled an uncomfortable discussion about some of the key players in the franchise. An MLB analyst was asked if Houston might be selling off Yordan Alvarez before the trade deadline arrives. But his prediction was something else. According to Ken Rosenthal, the Houston Astros will trade Isaac Paredes or Christian Walker by the August 3 deadline if the team doesn’t turn things around soon. Houston has stumbled to a 15-23 start, leaving them near the bottom of their division.

“I can’t imagine them trading Yordan Alvarez,” Rosenthal stated in a Foul Territory interview on Thursday. “He is one of their centerpieces. I do expect that at the deadline, if they are unable to recover, then you’ll see Christian Walker or Isaac Paredes go.”

Both of these stars were involved in trade buzz earlier this year as well. Christian Walker had a subpar performance last year with a .238 AVG and 72 runs in the season. However, he has somewhat doused the noise with nine homers and a .950 OPS this season. 

Isaac Paredes, on the other hand, is one of the most frequently mentioned names in trade discussions due to an infield logjam in Houston. The Astros have five infielders battling for four spots. But it didn’t bother Paredes much as he won back-to-back American League All-Star in the last two years. But in 2026, he hasn’t been that productive, as he is batting .265 with just three homers. 

Paredes has been linked with the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees in the past. But many thought he had been able to float over that noise. However, a voice like Ken Rosenthal mentioning him again proves that it is not the case. 

Although the analyst didn’t mention any probable teams, the way he mentioned the Astros’ struggles intensifies the possibilities of the trade. Houston is currently fourth in the AL West with a 15-23 record this season. Although they have recovered from their eight straight defeats earlier, there is still a lot of inconsistency. The last time they won more than two consecutive games was at the end of March. And as of May 7, the Astros have a -37 run differential. 

The MLB trade deadline is on August 3. There isn’t a high possibility for the Astros to make a huge bounce-back before that. At the start of the year, Isaac Paredes was a trade candidate because the team had an extra infielder. Now, injuries have hit the team hard, but those struggles might actually make a trade even more likely.

Astros’ infield picture no longer looks crowded

Even before the performance metrics were considered, Dana Brown was going through a logjam in the infield. The Astros had Carlos Correa, Jeremy Peña, and Jose Altuve alongside Walker and Paredes fighting for the four spots. Earlier in March, Rosenthal pointed out that Paredes might be the one Brown would go for. 

The Astros signed a 1-year, $9.35 million extension in 2026 with Paredes to avoid arbitration. And the deal includes a $13.35 club option for 2027. This made the 27-year-old a better trade piece compared to Walker, who recently turned 35.

However, the injuries have changed the Astros’ infield situation. Peña was placed on a 10-day IL Grade 1 right hamstring strain on April 11. He is still recovering, but the Astros are expecting his return soon. In the meantime, Correa suffered a season-ending injury on May 6. He completely tore the tendon on his left ankle during some practice swings.

Now, normally, with so many key players out, Paredes would be too important to trade. However, the Astros are not winning, and this might prompt them to make drastic changes. Just like the Orioles in 2018, who traded away Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop after realising their core was broken, the Astros are looking at a lost season.

Since he has an affordable contract, he is still their best trade option. Trading him would allow Houston to get back young talent and start rebuilding for next year. Even though the infield is thin right now, the team’s losing record means no one, except Yordan Alvarez, is truly safe from being traded.