Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is firmly under the microscope as the buzz surrounding the MLB trade deadline heats up. Players returning from the injured list give the 59-year-old GM reason to stand pat before Monday, Aug. 3; however, the Yankees' litany of issues—catcher, bullpen, shortstop—could be enough for Cashman to work the phone lines more than before. Looking for every opportunity to make a deal, the Astros could be one team that has the Yankees' attention. Although a deal between the American League clubs would seem unlikely due to recent history, Houston is four games below .500 and 1.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot, opening the door for New York to make a call down south. The AL West franchise's latest move further supports the idea that they will sell at the deadline. On Wednesday, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reported that the Astros traded starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., southpaw Colton Gordon and cash considerations to the Brewers in exchange for outfield prospect Jadyn Fielder. With the Astros beginning to ship off their veterans, it's time for the Yankees to pick up the phone. Astros can help Yankees with multiple trade deadline needs With McCullers traded, it won't be much longer before other teams start kicking the tires around Houston. The Yankees need to beat any potential competition to the punch if it means finally address their most pressing issues, beginning with their situation behind home plate. Catcher Austin Wells isn't the Yankees' answer at catcher, giving them every reason to explore an upgrade in the next two weeks. The Astros can help them with a potential trade target I've discussed before: Christian Vázquez. Christian Vázquez is one of the Astros who should have the Yankees' attention before the trade deadline. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectVázquez is 35, so he isn't a long-term solution, but he brings enough to the table to be an upgrade over Wells. The two-time World Series winner has a right-handed bat that the Yankees could sorely use, and is slashing .220/.277/.341 with five home runs, 22 RBIs and 14 walks in 60 games (173 at-bats). He's yet to make an error in 452 innings behind home plate this season, while his plus-2 catcher framing runs rank 19th among 61 catchers on Baseball Savant, further highlighting his positive impact. Throw in the fact that he'll likely be inexpensive due to his expiring contract, making Vázquez the stereotypical rental target the Yankees should have on their radar. Left side of infield It isn't a secret that the left side of the Yankees' infield isn't living up to expectations. Anthony Volpe and José Caballero have been streaky at shortstop, while Ryan McMahon is giving Cashman & Co. every reason to shop for a third-base replacement. That's where the Astros could come in. The versatile Isaac Paredes is often discussed as a primary trade target for New York. He has experience at shortstop and second base; however, his home is the hot corner, having played 4,131 1/3 innings at 3B throughout his seven-year career. The two-time All-Star's bat would easily be an upgrade over McMahon, as Paredes is batting .254 with 12 HRs, 49 RBIs and an impressively low 15.9% strikeout rate in 91 games so far. Replacing Ryan McMahon with Isaac Paredes would instantly improve the Yankees' situation at 3B. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectAstros SS Jeremy Peña is also someone who'd look great in pinstripes this summer. The 28-year-old infielder was a first-time All-Star last season, even finishing 10th in AL MVP voting. Peña has missed about half of the season so far due to injury, but that hasn't stopped him from performing well when he's been able to sit up, with six HRs, 22 RBIs, 15 walks and a 1.9 WAR in 51 games so far. Peña has one year of arbitration remaining, while Paredes has a $13.35 million conditional club option for the 2027 campaign. In other words, either of the duo would be more than just a one-year rental for the Yankees, potentially helping them make some long-term strides on the infield's left side. Bullpen The Yankees' bullpen has the best ERA in baseball, but inconsistent arms (Camilo Doval, Jake Bird, etc.) make it crucial for Cashman to find relief help. Much to his delight, the Astros have a few relievers who might be available. Bryan Abreu is another upcoming free agent, slotting him into rental territory. The Dominican hurler's 5.81 ERA through 34 appearances (31 innings) is far from stellar; however, his performance has improved with time. He's pitched to a 2.31 ERA with 15 strikeouts and two saves in his last 12 games, which include nine scoreless appearances. Opponents are also batting noticeably lower (.225) than their expected rate (.238) during that stretch, per Baseball Savant. Bryan Abreu has the veteran experience that could boost the Yankees' bullpen down the stretch. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectSteven Okert is on an expiring contract, too, as he sits at his best ERA (2.31) of the last six seasons. The 35-year-old lefty has a 0.836 WHIP and 47 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings, along with a slider that carries a whopping 34.2% whiff rate. That's without even mentioning how he's capped opposing batters at a .525 OPS. Enyel De Los Santos rounds out the list of pending UFA relievers on the Astros' roster. The 30-year-old righty is a late-game arm with 11 games finished and five saves in 41 appearances this season. His 4.33 ERA is far from a career-best effort, but it isn't the end of the world—especially if De Los Santos's latest stretch is an indication. In his last six games (seven innings), the 6-foot-3 reliever has allowed only one earned run on four hits while striking out six batters. The time to act is now The Yankees don't play the Astros again until late August, meaning they won't have an opportunity for any in-game scouting. That should create a sense of urgency to try pulling off a trade. The opportunities to do so will only dwindle, especially with how attractive some of Houston's rentals are to a potential World Series contender like New York. Other title-hungry teams will try to beat them to the punch, which Cashman & Co. can't let happen. The Yankees need to be aggressive on their quest to retake the American League lead and challenge for the Commissioner's Trophy this fall, and that can all start with a simple call to the 713 area code sooner rather than later. 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