The Houston Astros are looking to buy at the trade deadline, but they’ve also got a piece that’s generating interest from other clubs. Chas McCormick is drawing attention around the league, according to Will Kunkel, formerly of Fox 26 Houston.
There are teams that have interest in Astros OF Chas McCormick, per sources.
Teams believe that if he got regular ABs he would be a good contributor.
2023 Chas McCormick:
.273 AVG
.842 OPS
22 HR
70 RBIs
19 SBs
Makes sense when you consider how thin the outfield market is right now. McCormick’s the type of player rebuilding teams love – still young enough at 30 years old to contribute but experienced enough to know what he’s doing.
The Astros need starting pitching and bullpen help, so McCormick could be the piece they flip to get it. What makes this interesting is he’s got one more year of team control after 2025, which bumps up his trade value compared to rental players.
Now, McCormick’s on the 10-day IL right now, but once he’s back, the interest should ramp up. His 2025 numbers aren’t pretty – just .649 OPS in 43 at-bats – but teams are looking at his 2023 season as the real indicator.
That 2023 campaign was solid. .842 OPS, 3.4 WAR, plus he showed power and speed with 22 homers and 19 steals. Teams think regular playing time could unlock that version again.
The timing’s tricky for Houston. They’re looking for left field help themselves, so trading away an outfielder seems counterintuitive. But if McCormick can bring back the pitching help they really need, it might be the right move.
The outfield market’s seller-friendly right now, which works in the Astros’ favor. Teams believe McCormick’s current struggles are more about opportunity than ability. With regular at-bats somewhere else, he could return to being that productive everyday player from 2023.
No specific teams have been mentioned yet, but expect that to change as the deadline approaches. The Astros have to decide if they want to cash in on McCormick’s value now or keep him as depth for their own playoff push.
