Astros’ deadline plans should have them checking in on Blue Jays' veteran pitchers

What a difference a month makes. On Jun. 22, the Toronto Blue Jays played host to the Houston Astros at Rogers Centre with Toronto taking the game 4-2. The win pushed Toronto to a 39-39 record and gave them sole possession of third place in the AL Wild Card standings. The Astros fell to 37-43, three games behind the Blue Jays.

Since the, the Blue Jays have gone 7-14 while Houston has gone 10-11 (going into Monday, July 20 games). The Astros and the Blue Jays are both 4.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot and both teams are technically still buyers at the deadline - but that position is quickly slipping away.

These two teams could compliment each other at the deadline though if they continue trending in opposite directions. A high-ranking Astros' executive recently told USA Today's Bob Nightengale that the club plans to focus on "pitching, pitching and more pitching" at the deadline. They recently traded Lance McCullers Jr. to the Milwaukee Brewers, which saved them $2.5 million and that could help cover the cost of adding a pitcher at the deadline.

While it won't completely cover the cost of a pitcher or two the Blue Jays could offer them, it's at least a start. Both Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber will be free agents next year. The Blue Jays also have Max Schezer and Patrick Corbin on the roster. However, Scherzer is recovering from a couple of injuries and just suffered a set back in his rehab.

Corbin got moved to the bullpen at the beginning of the month and the lefty has appeared in just three games since July 26. He's posted a 5.21 ERA and 4.59 FIP in 77.2 innings overall this season and he is cheap, signed to a $1 million contract. He doesn't move the needle significantly but is a veteran presence the Astros could add at very little cost.

But if the Astros really want to improve on their 5.18 ERA which is th third worst in the majors, they'll likely need to look at adding one of Gausman or Bieber. In 112.1 innings pitched, Gausman has a 4.33 ERA and 3.65 FIP, while Bieber has a 5.70 ERA and 6.86 FIP in 23.2 innings pitched. Neither of those numbers jump off the page and exclaim "blockbuster deal" for Astros fans, but the context is key.

Gausman, at 35-years-old, threw a ton of innings last year between the regular season and the playoffs. He's pitching for a team that right now is giving him no help whatsoever. The Blue Jays are backing him with just 3.51 runs per game, the 8th lowest mark for qualified starting pitchers this season. The Astros have scored 455 runs this season ranked 12th in the majors, compared to Toronto's 397 which ranks 29th. Surely, with a little more run support Gausman can relax a little bit more and throw more like his usual self.

Bieber is coming off an injury that kept him out of action for most of the first half of the season. In the five games he has pitched he has had one very good outing, two decent outings and one forgettable outing. His last start was his best, throwing six innings of three-hit shutout baseball against the AL Central leading Chicago White Sox.

As Bieber gets more reps and starts to regain his form, he could be an excellent pick up at the deadline, similar to how he was viewed last year when the Blue Jays landed him at the deadline while he was still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

Astros and Blue Jays have become familiar trade partners

Ross Atkins has been the Blue Jays' general manager for over a decade and some of his most notable deals have come in moves made with the Astros on the other end. From acquiring Teoscar Hernandez to dealing Yusei Kikuchi, it wouldn't be out of the question for him to pick up the phone again and see if the Astros were interested in either of these players.

The Blue Jays probably aren't going to get a ton for either guy. In a deal for Bieber they could be looking to recoup what they sent to Cleveland last year. In that deal they gave up their No. 5 prospect, RHP Khal Stephen, who projected to be a No. 5 starter in the big leagues. Stephen, is currently sidelined, undergoing Tommy John surgery himself.

It just so happens the Astros current No. 5 prospect is also a RHP, currently pitching in Double-A, just like Stephen was at the time of the trade. That prospect is Bryce Mayer, a six-foot-three, 210-pound 24-year-old who is currently the best pitcher in the Astros system, but also grades out as a mid-rotation starter.

For Gausman, his price will likely depend on how he performs over his next couple of starts but it's going to be tough for the Blue Jays to get a single top-10 prospect for an impending free agent who hasn't been setting the world on fire. Regardless, the Blue Jays have been able to make due with what they have recieved in recent years from the Astros.

For Kikuchi they got three prospects, Jake Bloss, Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner. Wagner was traded for Brendan Valenzuela and Loperfido was traded back to Houston for Jésus Sànchez. Bloss remains in the system.

For Gausman perhaps 24-year-old RHP Miguel Ullola who is pitching at Triple-A and is the No. 11 prospect is the focus. Similar to Bloss, Ullola has made his MLB debut, although it was just two innings earlier this year. But a pitcher that is close to MLB and a lower level prospect seems to be Atkins' MO in these kinds of moves and it wouldn't be a surprise if a deal like this came together again.

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