The Houston Astros overcame a slow start to the 2025 season and now have the second-best record in the American League. They lead they AL West by five games over the Seattle Mariners.
General Manager Dana Brown has said that at the trade deadline, Houston will focus on bats, but there are other areas that could use some work. The deadline is now less than a week away.
The bullpen has been elite, but they recently lost Shawn Dubin to a forearm strain. Adding an arm to their mix wouldn't hurt.
Brendan Strieker of FanSided proposed the idea of Houston trading for St. Louis Cardinals reliever and former Astro Phil Maton.
"Phil Maton could slide in perfectly as a middle-relief pitcher and can handle the later innings on days where [Josh] Hader and/or [Bryan] Abreu are down. Maton had two of his best seasons of his career with the Astros during their World Series run in 2022 and the following year in 2023. All of these reasons create the perfect opportunity for a reunion with one of their most reliable bullpen arms during their World Series run," Strieker wrote.
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Maton is 1-3 with a 2.41 ERA in 39 appearances and has recorded two saves with St. Louis this year. He was their lone free agent signing last offseason, joining the team on a one-year, $2 million contract.
However, St. Louis is likely to sell in the coming days, so it certainly makes sense that he would be on the trading block as a pitcher on an expiring contract.
The Astros acquired Maton from the then-Cleveland Indians in 2021 and he was with the team through the 2023 season. He spent 2024 with the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets.
While the Astros have a strong bullpen, one more arm can't hurt. Maton is obviously a familiar face, so he could fit right in with the Astros down the stretch.
It will be interesting to see if Houston makes St. Louis an offer for the veteran reliever. It might cost a notable prospect or two, but it could be worth it if Houston wants to return to the World Series for the first time since 2022.
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