2 Astros the Yankees should target in a trade, 1 they should ignore as rumors spike

The New York Yankees need some type of shakeup after getting swept in the ALDS by the AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays. The likelihood is that GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone aren't going anywhere. But the Yankees shouldn't just run back the same roster and hope Aaron Judge stays healthy in 2027. They should operate like the Yankees of old, where they were stacking their team every year and going hard for a World Series title.

As a result of a weak free agency class on the offensive side, the Yankees should explore the trade market in order to upgrade their lineup. They could look to the Houston Astros, who have some attractive trade pieces in their infield. For that, we're going to look at two Astros the Yankees should target via trade and one they should stay away from.

A trade the Yankees must make with the Houston Astros

Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena could be on his way out of Houston after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension. Pena will be a free agent after next season and the Astros should trade him if they aren't going to retain the homegrown shortstop.

The Yankees are the perfect fit for Pena, who would instantly boost their offense. A trade for Pena would probably start with George Lombard Jr. However, the Yankees have the money to keep Pena for the long-term, and a lineup centered around Judge, Pena, Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger and Luis Garcia Jr. could contend for a World Series title. Pena, if available, should be the Yankees' top trade target this offseason.

A Yankees fallback option

If the Yankees can't land Pena, they should pivot to Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes. The Yankees have a major hole at third base and the position has been an issue for several years. Paredes has a $13.35 million club option for 2027, which Houston will likely pick up. That salary amount is more than affordable for a trade partner to take on, including the Yankees. Paredes is coming off a big season, where he hit 25 home runs, drove in 94 RBI, had an .806 OPS and posted a 4.0 bWAR in 155 games. The Yankees shouldn't give up a Lombard or Spencer Jones for Paredes, but they have other pieces that could get a deal done, specifically their young pitching depth. Even one season of Paredes would be a significant upgrade over Ryan McMahon at third base.

An Astros trade target the Yankees should stay far away from

First baseman Christian Walker is another infielder the Astros could trade in the offseason. Walker has one more year on his deal for $20 million in 2027, and Houston's new GM could look to shed that salary. Walker was once viewed as a fit for the Yankees in recent years, but that's no longer the case. The first baseman is turning 36 years old next season and comes along with an expensive price tag for a player, who has posted a sub-.300 on-base percentage and combined 2.3 bWAR across the past two seasons. Walker does have power at the plate and brings strong defense at the first base position. That being said, the Yankees already have Garcia and Rice to man first base. Acquiring Walker at this point in time wouldn't make much sense for the Yankees.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow