“We’re Going to Grind It Out”: Astros GM Dana Brown Vows Trade Deadline Acquisitions Over Selling Spree

A month of mediocre baseball hasn’t deterred Dana Brown, the resolute general manager of the Houston Astros. Despite their underperformance and a roster ravaged by injuries, Brown remains steadfast in his belief that the Astros will be buyers, not sellers, at the upcoming trade deadline.

“I don’t see any scenario where we’re sellers. I think we’re going to be buyers,” Brown declared before Monday’s series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. This unwavering stance, while necessary to maintain clubhouse morale, raises questions about the franchise’s long-term future.

Dana Brown’s confidence appears to contradict the Astros’ actual situation. They began Monday 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Seattle Mariners in the American League West, having won only 14 of their previous 26 games. According to FanGraphs, Houston has a 19.9 percent chance of winning the division and a 34.1% chance of earning a wildcard spot in the playoffs.

“I’ve seen teams blow leads from five games up to seven games up in September. In Atlanta when we won the World Series, we didn’t get to .500 until game 100,” Brown recounted, repeating his prior remarks on MLB Network. “I don’t foresee us being sellers at all. We’re going to grind it out. I think we’re going to get back to .500 before people know it and we’ll be back in the race.”

Brown anticipates the Astros’ June schedule, which features games against struggling teams, to be a turning moment. However, a bad performance may force the Astros to reconsider their strategy. Despite owner Jim Crane’s unwillingness to sell, a depleted farm system and a payroll that surpasses the first competitive balance tax level may necessitate exploring trade alternatives for players like Alex Bregman, Framber Valdez, Kyle Tucker, Ryan Pressly, and Justin Verlander.

Dana Brown’s unwavering confidence in the Astros’ potential

When questioned about the potential of selling, Brown said, “We would have to really fall apart for that to happen. The pitching would have to be struggling. The hitters would have to be struggling. If there’s any sign of hope, I can’t see us doing it,” his belief in his team’s potential being more than crystal clear. “Right now, even when you’re losing and the players are still playing well and you’re losing one-run games, two-run games, at some point you feel like it’s going to turn around,” he said. “I don’t feel like there’s any scenario where we’re going to be sellers. The team is too good.”

While Dana Brown recognizes the importance of offensive reinforcements, particularly a left-handed hitter, and the ongoing search of pitching depth, his alternatives are restricted by a dearth of prospects and a hefty salary. Crane’s willingness to surpass the second competitive balance tax level is unknown, but a real shot at a World Series win may persuade the owner.

“We haven’t hit all cylinders yet,” Brown highlighted. “The fact that we haven’t hit all cylinders yet tells me a lot. Once we hit all cylinders—we got hot there for a minute and it looked good for about a week—I think that’s coming multiple times. I think we’re going to get hot at some point. I’m not in panic mode. We got 102 games left and I think this team is a really good team.”

The Astros have an obvious route forward: enhance their on-field performance. Their capacity to do so will decide if Dana Brown’s bold promise to acquire before the deadline becomes a reality or a distant memory.

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