By Drew Vonscio
The Houston Astros are reportedly working to bring in a left-handed bat ahead of the trade deadline.General manager Dana Brown has admitted the team is looking to add some offense, but doing so won’t be easy in a sellers market. However, R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports believes the Astros could be a good fit for Ryan O’Hearn from the Baltimore Orioles.”If the Orioles sell, moving an impending free agent like O’Hearn would make sense,” wrote Anderson. “He’s quietly (though perhaps not so much anymore) turned into a developmental win, boosting his stock from a Quad-A first baseman who struck out too much to a platoon ace who flirts with the 90-90 club. (That’s 90% in-zone contact rate, 90 mph average exit velocity.)O’Hearn is primarily a first baseman, but the Orioles are integrating him into the outfield more this year. While the team didn’t anticipate this season going the way it has, adding some positional flexibility will help boost his trade value.”O’Hearn has seen more action in the outfield this season, and I suppose that added optionality can only boost his stock, even if the draw here is and will remain his well-above-average offense against right-handed pitching. Potential landing spots: Astros, Mariners, Braves.”If the Astros grab O’Hearn from a selling Orioles team, they will be able to move Jose Altuve back into the infield if they so desire, especially with the recent injury news regarding shortstop Jeremy Pe帽a.O’Hearn would fit in well in Houston as he would help the Astros secure the American League West and push for the AL pennant against teams like the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees.More MLB: Astros’ Optimism ‘Halted’ During Negotiations for $200 Million Shortstop