Vince Velasquez

Keuchel, Astros intrigued about potential trade for rotation help

Published Jun. 29, 2015 1:27 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Houston Astros are still in first place in the AL West, but they could use a bit of help in one area.

As far as first-place teams are concerned, the Astros' starting rotation is a bit thin past ace Dallas Keuchel and #2 Collin McHugh (and, to a lesser extent, promising rookies Lance McCullers and Vincent Velasquez). The club has been mentioned frequently when discussing potential trades ahead of the July 31 non-waiver deadline, with pitchers including Scott Kazmir (of the Oakland Athletics), Johnny Cueto (of the Cincinnati Reds), Cole Hamels (of the Philadelphia Phillies) and Jeff Samardzija (of the Chicago White Sox), among others as those speculated to maybe be on the move.

In a Saturday piece touching on the front office's potential plans, Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle spoke with Keuchel - who sounds a bit hopeful that something might happen:

"(I'm hopeful for a trade based on) what we're doing right now and the position that we're in. Fully intend for the front office to make a move. And that's not like something that's a given; it's just that, I know that they want to win and it's a shared interest between the players and the front office.

"I just would assume we'll probably get a pitcher based on the fact that we're not going to run the young guns out for 200 innings. We're going to need somebody to kind of help fill that void. Whether it's Kazmir, Samardzija, Hamels, Cueto, whoever, we're going to expect them to come in and help us out."

General manager Jeff Luhnow remained mostly coy about his plans, but did admit that the club is keeping its eyes open: "It certainly is one of those things we talk about, probably more so than other areas."

Keuchel's comments are particularly interesting considering how honest and open he seems, especially speaking on behalf of the players and the team's 'mutual interest' in ensuring their strong first half of the 2015 season continues into October.

Contending teams have a little over a month left of 'shopping time' before the deadline, so the next few weeks could prove to be quite eventful...

(h/t Houston Chronicle)

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