Astros' contract dilemma with All-Star infielder is possible Anthony Volpe solution for Yankees

Just the other day, Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown told reporters that the AL West club has not internally discussed trading DH/outfielder Yordan Alvarez or shortstop Jeremy Pena. 

Of course, that could change in the coming weeks if the Astros completely fall out of the postseason race. 

There's no doubt that Pena is more likely to be moved than Alvarez, a slugger who leads the Majors with a 1.074 OPS. 

"The Astros almost certainly aren't moving Yordan Alvarez, but the lack of traction in contract talks with Jeremy Peña could make him a different story," wrote Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer. "He's an elite bat-to-ball hitter with decent power and speed and a very good glove, so he'd be an upgrade at shortstop for a lot of teams." 

Could the New York Yankees show interest in Pena, and would the Astros entertain offers? 

What's known for sure is that Anthony Volpe's time on the Yankees' roster may be running out. That's been said for over a year now, so it would be no surprise if he finishes out the season with the AL East club. 

Volpe is batting .189 in his last 10 games and has a .597 OPS since returning from Triple-A. There are legitimate questions about his arm strength and defense as a whole since winning a Gold Glove in 2023. 

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Pena has a 1.4 bWAR in 31 games this season and was named World Series MVP with the Astros in 2022. That kind of production in the postseason could be very helpful to the Yankees' potential success. 

This is a move the Yankees should seriously consider giving the Astros a call about. Or, Jose Caballero should be the everyday starter at shortstop. 

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