Astros predicted to repeat Kyle Tucker trade, this time with an All-Star infielder

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Astros predicted to repeat Kyle Tucker trade, this time with an All-Star infielder originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Houston Astros are facing a very difficult question for the 2026 MLB trade deadline. While they are planning to buy, with lefty-hitting outfielder and help in both the rotation and bullpen in mind, there could be reason to sell as well.

This team isn't exactly in great shape, sitting 53-55 on the season. While they might be just 2.0 games back, this team isn't really good enough to go deep into the postseason. It might have to be a more creative deadline for Dana Brown this summer.

Chandler Rome of The Athletic is predicting that such a creative deadline will come to pass, as the Astros repeat their Kyle Tucker trade decision, this time with All-Star and Gold Glove-winning shortstop Jeremy Pena.

Astros predicted to trade Jeremy Pena for same reason they dealt Kyle Tucker​

"Jeremy Pena is traded away," Rome predicts. "... In the winter of 2024, Houston faced a similar situation with Kyle Tucker, the homegrown outfielder they failed to extend and decided to trade before his platform season. That precedent will make Pena an obvious trade candidate this winter. Why not seize advantage of a seller's market and, perhaps, get more in return for Pena?

The Astros might not want to trade Pena this summer, but if they can't sign him to a long-term deal, which doesn't look like it's going to happen after their extension talks were cut short last season, trading him now makes sense.

Moving on from Pena, who is only under control for the 2027 season, at the 2026 MLB trade deadline could give them new assets to help them during the 2026 MLB season, and set them up for long-term success.

MORE: Red Sox ‘would love’ to trade for Angels’ Zach Neto or Astros’ Jeremy Pena

A team like the Boston Red Sox or the Atlanta Braves would surely have interest and be willing to spend a fortune to acquire Pena this summer.

He is a former World Series MVP, All-Star, Gold Glove shortstop, and in 59 games this season has 2.8 bWAR with 11 homers and a .319 batting average to go with an .878 OPS.

Brown could get a fortune for Pena, similar to how they got Cam Smith and Isaac Paredes for Tucker before the 2025 MLB season.

But, instead of waiting until the offseason, trading Pena now might bring in a better return, especially with all of the uncertainty around baseball being played in 2027. A Pena trade this summer instead of over the offseason makes a ton of sense.

More MLB news:​

• Yankees are ‘leading candidate’ to trade for Twins’ Ryan Jeffers
• Giants willing to trade Heliot Ramos in big news for many MLB clubs
• Padres likely not to trade Mason Miller amid latest update
• Tigers expected to trade Tarik Skubal but still try to contend without him
• Mets ‘desperate’ to trade Luis Robert Jr. after trade failure

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