Pitching and the trade deadline

Astros pitcher Spencer Arrighetti pitches against the Blue Jays on July 2.As the Astros chase the Mariners in the AL West division race, Astros trade speculation will intensify with each week leading up to August 1. Given the plethora of injuries to the starting rotation, Astros’ trade activity is likely to prioritize the starting pitcher market. And because almost every contending team needs starting pitching, the trading cost is likely to be high.

A little over a week ago, I wrote an initial article about the Astros at the trade deadline. Among other things, this article discussed some of the significant constraints on the Astros and my general view that the Astros should minimize…