Astros trade proposal lands former Yankees dud amid pitching injuries

The Houston Astros' starting rotation has again been derailed by injuries. It's a concerning sign for an organization looking to win the American League West and have a chance to compete in a World Series. 

For the Astros, this could be one of their final seasons as contenders. 

As the Astros enter the trade deadline at the end of July, many have suggested that they could look for a starter on the market. 

When searching for potential options, Matthew Postins of Sports Illustrated proposed an idea for them to land Andrew Heaney in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

“More importantly, he’s giving the Pirates’ bullpen length. He has pitched in at least five innings in 12 of 14 starts and has pitched into the seventh inning in six games. For the past few seasons, his durability has been his best asset.

“Since he signed with the Texas Rangers before the 2023 season, he’s made nearly every scheduled turn in the rotation. He’s also moved into a part-time relief role at times. His playoff experience gives him experience the Astors need over potential starters like Colton Gordon or Ryan Gusto,” he wrote.

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Heaney has been around the league over the past few years, recently pitching for the Pirates, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Los Angeles Angels since 2021. His best stint came in 2023 with the Rangers, when he helped them win a World Series. 

During the postseason that year, he posted a 4.09 ERA in 11.0 innings.

With valuable postseason experience under his belt, he'd been an intriguing fit in Houston.