The Houston Astros remain in the market for a left-handed bat, and conventional wisdom points to the 'Stros wanting that hitter to slot in as their starting second baseman for the remainder of the season. Brandon Lowe of the Tampa Bay Rays has been an oft-rumored target for the Astros; however, Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) floated an outside-of-the-box idea for Houston ahead of the deadline.
"They (Atlanta Braves) are not looking to move on from second baseman Ozzie Albies," Bowden wrote. "But they’ll listen to inquiries, and a team like the Astros, who are looking for a left-handed-hitting second baseman, would be a strong trade fit.