Overview

• Multiple credible reports confirm the Astros have targeted Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins as their preferred left-handed bat ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.
• With Yordan Alvarez sidelined, GM Dana Brown has publicly acknowledged the need for a left-handed power hitter to balance Houston’s right-heavy lineup.
• Mullins, a 30-year-old former All-Star and Silver Slugger, is batting .210/.295/.412 with 12 home runs and brings defensive versatility in center field.
• Baltimore, sitting last in the AL East, is considering trade offers for Mullins to recoup value before he departs as a free agent this winter.
• The Astros, leading the AL West at 50-34, remain poised to be buyers at the deadline as they bolster their roster for a postseason run.