This season, Houston Astros made many surprising moves, like letting Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker go. But what’s even more surprising is that just when Opening Day is three weeks away, Houston is weighing a move that has fans and analysts scratching their heads. They are thinking of shifting Jose Altuve to left field. A player who has never played a single MLB game in the outfield is suddenly out to relearn the position at 34!

This isn’t a strategic tweak; it seems like the team is scrambling for answers. And scrambling might just be the perfect word to describe their off-season this time. In fact, Paul Hembekides, known as Hembo, didn’t mince his words when discussing the severity of this decision. “I believe Houston is in peril of missing the playoffs,” he said to Buster Olney. He isn’t throwing out blank words; he has reasons starting with the Astros’ off-season moves.

According to Hembekides, the Houston Astros made a direct bet that Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker could replace the firepower that Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman got in the mix. Not just that, he mentioned that they are banking on Hayden Wesneski, a player they just got from the Chicago Cubs, to fill the gap left by Yusei Kikuchi. That’s not easy, though even Kikuchi, late last season, spurred the team to a boost.

And the biggest reason Hembekides thinks the Houston Astros might not make it to the playoffs this season is their competitors. “The Mariners are going to piss the daylights out of them all. The Rangers are perhaps baseball’s bounce-back team. And the A’s are an obvious step forward team…. I think there is a clear path for Astro missing the postseason entirely,” said Paul Hembekides to Buster Olney. Meanwhile, Houston is still looming in this sea of uncertainty, which Joe Espada recently confirmed.

Espada mentioned to the reporters, “I’m not committed to Altuve being the everyday left fielder nor any X player being the everyday second baseman. We are exploring all our options here, and we’ll make those decisions when we get towards the end of camp.” So basically the translation is—they are still figuring it out.

Right now it seems that Altuve’s performance in left field will decide if this experiment of the Houston Astros sticks or drowns. But if he does move, second base is a huge question mark. There are Mauricio Dubón, Luis Guillorme, and Brendan Rodgers—but are they reliable enough for a team like Houston? One thing is for sure: this isn’t the team of years past; it’s now a team that’s looking for answers.

Will the Houston Astros be forced to make a trade?

So the stage might be set that Houston Astros roll into the season with an outfield of Jose Altuve along with Chas McCormick and Jack Meyers. But if you are honest, this trio doesn’t ramp up fear among opponents; it’s not a powerhouse trio. So if one of them struggles, then the Astros might be forced to make a trade. And one name that’s come up a lot is that of Luis Robert Jr. He seems like the perfect target.

The Chicago White Sox slugger is entering his final year of contract with two team options after. Given Chicago is in a rebuilding phase, right now a trade seems to make the most sense. Moreover, the Houston Astros could use a player like him in the outfield, someone who brings in offensive and defensive stability. Recently, Zach Pressnell of Fansided proposed a deal in which they would send Zach Dezenzo, Anderson Brito, Kevin Alvarez, and Luis Baez to Chicago in exchange for Robert. No doubt a solid deal, and it wouldn’t drain Houston’s farm system too.

If you look at the above players’ stats, one thing is clear—they are not Houston’s best prospects. And in return, they get an MVP-caliber player in Robert. Sure, injuries ruined his last year, but come next, he slashed .264/.315/.542 with 38 homers and 20 steals. And he seems to be the missing link for the Houston Astros to get that World Series push.

Do you think Houston should consider this deal? Let us know in the comments.