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HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 26: General manager Dana Brown of the Houston Astros at a press conference announcing the retirement of Dusty Baker Jr. as the manager of the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on October 26, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

The Houston Astros have been slowly climbing out of a miserable start. As they remain six games under .500, there’s been a lot of trade speculation surrounding All-Star slugger Yordan Alvarez. That’s one possibility that Astros general manager Dana Brown isn’t remotely interested in.

“We’ve had zero discussions about trading Alvarez internally. We’ve had zero conversations,” Brown told The Houston Chronicle‘s Matt Kawahara.

The Astros have won 11 of their last 17 games to get within 2.5 games of a postseason spot. But the odds of getting there are very low, as FanGraphs gives them just a 22.7% chance. However, Brown’s not throwing in the towel just yet.

“I just think it’s a matter of time for us to collectively play multiple games in a row with our best players. Which I don’t think has happened.”

Dana Brown Sends Strong Message on Yordan Alvarez Rumors

GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – JUNE 06: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros hits a grand slam home run against the Athletics during the second inning at Daikin Park on June 06, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)

Yordan Alvarez is still under a team-friendly extension that runs through the 2028 season. With a player of that caliber on that contract, it makes sense for Dana Brown not to entertain any discussions on his star slugger. He’s also echoed similar sentiments concerning All-Star shortstop Jeremy Pena.

“Those are two pillars on this team that I feel like is playoff bound,” Brown said. “So we can’t go trading two pillars. Both those guys hit at the top of our lineup.”

The Astros are getting healthier this time of year and could make a run. Josh Hader has finished recovering from shoulder surgery and resumed his role as the team’s closer. Hunter Brown and Yainer Diaz are closing on a return from shoulder and oblique injuries.

Once their roster gets healthier, this should give Brown a chance to see what this club is capable of. If they can’t close on what seems like a wide-open Wild Card race, then the option of selling comes on the table. But Alvarez won’t be one of the players the Astros will be interested in discussing, internally or externally.

“I think we’ve got to get healthy, number one,” Brown said. “And then guys have to play their part, not try to do too much. Play the game the way it’s supposed to be played, try to make as (few) mistakes as possible, and good things will happen.”

If the Astros play to Brown’s expectations, they should be able to put themselves in a position to add.

Can the Astros Rescue Their Season?

The Astros are currently in a stretch where six of their next seven series will be against teams under .500. That’s the opportunity they’ve been waiting for to stack up some wins.

As The Houston Chronicle‘s Matt Kawahara notes, their win over the Angels marked just the eighth time this season that Jeremy Peña, Yordan Alvarez, Christian Walker, Isaac Paredes, and Altuve have all been in the lineup together.

Despite that, Houston ranks ninth in wRC+ in the season at 105. The hope is that the offense continues to click with their top hitters back.

The return of Hunter Brown should give the Astros an overdue boost. Brown’s return means Houston can option a struggling Mike Burrows to Triple-A Sugar Land as a mental reset.

The runway is clear for the Astros to return. The question will be, can they pull it off?

“It’ll give us a chance to see what we’re made of,” Dana Brown said.

Michael McDermott Michael McDermott covers MLB for Heavy Sports. He’s previously published content for SB Nation, Sports Illustrated, and FanSided in 11 seasons. Covered the Arizona Diamondbacks as an on-site reporter for the 2022-2024 seasons and the Arizona Fall League for 2022-2025. More about Michael McDermott