The Houston Astros have put together a first half that was at the upper echelon of even the most rosy of expectations. With that said, the club enters the trade deadline season with a not-so-insignificant list of needs that must be addressed in order to keep the momentum humming in the second half and make a deep playoff run.
Chief among those needs is depth in the starting rotation. Hunter Brown is a true ace and Cy Young contender. With a 2.09 ERA since June 1, southpaw Framber Valdez isn't far behind Brown in the chase for the award.