Astros' possible trade targets include Carlos Correa, Nolan Arenado

The Herald Scotland

2 days ago

The possibility of Correa's potential return is fascinating considering he was a homegrown product, and led the Astros to four division titles, three pennants and a World Series title. The Astros offered him a five-year, $160 million as a free agent after the 2021 season, but he departed for the Minnesota Twins. He signed a three-year, $105.3 million contract before opting out after one season. He then agreed to deals with the San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets, but both contracts were voided after his physical, leading him back to Minnesota on a six-year, $200 million contract.
Correa, 30, still has $103.5 million remaining on his contract through 2028 with four club options. He also has a full no-trade clause. Yet, he has told friends that he would be willing to waive his no-trade for the opportunity to return to Houston, where he and his family still reside in the offseason. The Astros surely would demand the Twins to pay a significant portion of the contract in trade talks.
Arenado, 34, was on the verge of being traded to the Astros last December, but he exercised his no-trade rights and rejected it. Arenado wanted to play for a contender, telling the Cardinals he would accept a trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets. He considered also waiving his rights for the Astros, but once they traded All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs, while also replacing popular All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman, he declined. Simply, he didn't believe the Astros would be a contender. He also rejected the Los Angeles Angels' overtures.
"We tried to convince him that we're not rebuilding, that the window is always open with our owner," Astros GM Dana Brown told USA TODAY Sports. "We planned to compete in 2025 and beyond. He misunderstood our plan."
Now that the Astros are sitting in first place in the AL West with a 61-47 record, and the Cardinals (55-54) plan to rebuild and trade veterans at the deadline, Arenado likely would now waive his no-trade clause. He still is under contract through 2027, and is owed $56 million.
The cheapest acquisition financially would be Suarez, who's on the final year of his seven-year, $66 million contract. He is owed about $4.8 million for the rest of the season. Yet Suarez, who has hit 36 homers and driven in 87 runs, is also the best available position player on the market. He would be costly in the terms of parting with top prospects for a rental player. The Diamondbacks are seeking at least two or three of an organization's top prospects for Suarez in their talks with teams.
The Astros really had no interest in Correa or Arenado, and had no sense of urgency until Paredes suffered a strained right hamstring July 19 running to first base. Astros manager Joe Espada called it a "pretty significant injury." Paredes is scheduled to seek a second opinion but could even need surgery that would sideline him until spring training.
The Astros, who have 17 players on the injured list, have struggled without Paredes, who was hitting .259 with a team-high 19 homers and 50 RBI. They have lost 12 of their last 18 games, with five everyday position players on the injured list.
While the acquisition of Suarez would be an offensive upgrade over Paredes, Correa and Arenado would be downgrades with their offensive struggles, although both are superior defensively.
Correa, a Gold Glove and Platinum Glove winner at shortstop, hasn't been the same offensive force since leaving the Astros. He was a .277 hitter with an .837 OPS in his seven years in Houston, hitting a career-high 26 homers with 92 RBI in 2021. Yet, he's hitting .265 with just seven homers, 31 RBI and a .701 OPS this year in the worst full season of his career.
Arenado, a 10-time Gold Glove winner, is also having the worst offensive season of his career. He's hitting .235 with 10 homers and 43 RBI, including a .295 on-base percentage, .368 slugging percentage and .664 OPS. The Cardinals, who were willing to pay $15 million of his remaining contract last December in their proposed trade, may have to pay down even more considering Arenado's season.
The Astros say they don't have a sense of which direction they'll go with the third-base candidates before the 6 p.m. ET trade deadline Thursday, but insisted late Tuesday night that all three players remain as candidates.
The Astros would soar past the luxury tax threshold by acquiring Correa or Arenado, but they have about $60 million coming off the books after the season. They would gladly make the tradeoff of a luxury tax penalty if it meant reaching the postseason for the ninth consecutive season with another chance of a World Series run.
"The last eight years we've been going to the playoffs and making a push to win the World Series," says Astros nine-time All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve, "and it seems like this year we have another great chance, even though we obviously have a lot of guys on the injured list. We're here to win. That's what this organization is all about. It won't accept anything less.
"Really, that's what makes this place so great."
Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale