Astros earn weak 'C-' grade for trade deadline after failing to address one key need

The Houston Astros came into the 2026 MLB trade deadline day as the leaders in the AL West. With rumors that the Seattle Mariners and maybe even the Texas Rangers would sell, they had a chance to really bolster their postseason odds.

Houston made just one trade on deadline day, adding Daulton Varsho, a left-handed hitting outfielder, in exchange for Spencer Arrighetti. It's a risky move, but an understandable one for the Astros.

However, Jim Bowden of The Athletic handed the Astros a weak C- grade for their deadline outcome. The reason why is simple: Houston didn't address their top need for a starting pitcher.

Astros' failure to address rotation earns a C- grade for deadline activity

"Houston Astros. Grade: C-," Bowden writes. "... I was disappointed they didn't get another starter. They came close to getting Foster Griffin from the Nationals, but were outbid by the Guardians."

The Astros didn't land Griffin, nor did they land any starting pitcher at this year's deadline. To make matters worse, they even traded a starter away in the Varsho deal.

Considering how this year's deadline had a plethora of readily available starters for the taking, it's a major problem that the Astros couldn't land just one starter.

Of the pitchers that were dealt, the Astros would've benefited from adding Casey Mize, Robbie Ray, Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, Freddy Peralta, Jose Soriano, and many others.

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Other clubs landed those pitchers, but what about the starters who weren't traded this summer? The Astros could've readily had one of them, and there were a few notable options who didn't get traded.

Reid Detmers and Shane Bieber, among many others, were not traded. Houston would've benefited greatly from adding one of those starting pitchers, but failed to do so.

Combined with their lackluster deadline overall, Bowden's C- grade seems fair. More could've and should've been done to make this team better. But Dana Brown didn't make another trade, and now the Astros are still facing a rotation problem.

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