標籤: intel

The Houston Astros enter MLB games today with the second-worst record in the American League, with a top-10 lineup suppressed by the worst pitching staff in baseball. With this proving to be a disastrous year for Houston, the struggles could force the front office to make roster moves at the MLB trade deadline.

FanSided’s Robert Murray wrote that if the Astros ultimately decide to become sellers this summer, the most likely players to be moved are infielder Isaac Paredes and first baseman Christian Walker.

Houston entered the weekend with an 18-28 record, leaving it 10 games short of .500, but just four games behind the Texas Rangers for the third wild card spot in the American League. The club is also just six games behind the first-place Sacramento Athletics in the AL West, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the club could bounce back this summer and get back into playoff contention.

The question is whether or not the Astros pitching staff can get to a place where this team can compete. Hunter Brown, sidelined with a shoulder problem, is on the 60-day injured list and isn’t expected to return until sometime in June. Meanwhile, Ronel Blanco (elbow) is still only throwing bullpen sessions, and Cristian Javier is early in the throwing schedule and won’t return until the summer.

To put the Astros’ pitching problems into perspective, they have the worst ERA in MLB (5.47) and are the only club in baseball with an ERA over 5. Starting pitching (5.16 ERA, 29th in MLB) has been an issue, but the bullpen (5.81 ERA) has been the biggest culprit.

Luckily for Houston, Walker is helping his trade value significantly this summer. In the second year of a three-year, $60 million contract, his batting average (.235 to .268), OBP (.297 to .342) and OPS (.717 to .848) have skyrocketed compared to last season.

Paredes is making $9.5 million this season, and he has a club option for 2027 worth $13.35 million. The 27-year-old infielder has a .734 OPS with a .257 batting average this season in 34 appearances at third base, six at first and three at second base.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

23XI Racing Development driver Corey Heim is a top prospect in NASCAR and is widely viewed as one of the best young talents in the sport. Although he does not have a full-time ride this season, that may soon change.

Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic and Bob Pokrass of Fox Sports wrote this week that there is a real possibility that Heim will get a full-time ride as the third driver of 23XI’s Cup Series team next season.

Read more: NASCAR prospects whose stock is rising

Heim, age 23, has split time with racing at all three levels this season. Although he is not eligible for The Chase in the Truck Series, he has the eighth-most points (204) in trucks this season despite making half as many starts as his teammates.

His performance in the cup series so far has also been impressive. Most recently, Heim led 69 laps at Texas Motor Speedway and just a few weeks ago he finished 15th at Kansas. There is universal agreement that he is ready for a full-time ride in the Cup and it seems the plan is for that to happen in 2027.

What the addition of Corey Haim means to Riley Herbst

Many in the industry agree that Heim is a better driver than Riley Herbst, who had a terrible rookie season in the No. 35 car for 23XI Racing. However, Herbst has brought significant funding resources to 23XI.

The important thing for the 27-year-old is to improve his chances of remaining in the Cup series beyond 2026. Herbst’s average starting position (20.25) and average finishing position (22.67) were significantly improved compared to last season (26.97 and 26.39), placing him 29th in points through 12 races.

Herbst is not only producing better on-track results, but he has also proven to be a great teammate to both Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace this season. Additionally, he has received high praise from 23XI co-owner Denny Hamlin for his improvements.

While Hamm is destined to take the No. 35 car next season, Herbst will likely get the ride in 2027. Legacy Motor Club has added a third charter and is in need of funding, Herbst’s improvements and his strong relationship with Monster Energy provide the results and financial resources to make him a potential target for the LMC.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The Pittsburgh Steelers are still awaiting quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ decision on whether he will play in the 2026 NFL season. As the process moves forward, it appears that a contingency plan is now in place.

NFL insider Jason La Canfora reports that the Steelers are not pursuing any other veteran options via NFL free agency or trade. Instead, the team will have a quarterback battle between Mason Rudolph and Will Howard this summer.

RELATED: The Aaron Rodgers saga takes another turn for the Steelers

While there is real excitement in the organization about third-round pick Drew Allar, who is being coached by Mike McCarthy, the rookie isn’t set to see the field any time soon. Rudolph will likely be the favorite to win the Steelers’ starting quarterback competition, but it will be an open battle.

The Steelers organization is reportedly “very excited” about Howard’s development entering his second season. While the Eller selection added some uncertainty to Howard’s future in Pittsburgh, he remains a signal-caller who is highly rated in the organization.

RELATED: Insiders predict who the Steelers starting QB will be in 2027

In his career as the Steelers’ starting quarterback, Allard has compiled a record of 8–5–1 in 14 starts. He also has a 21-13 TD-INT ratio with an 86.7 passer rating in 26 career appearances with Pittsburgh. Howard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, never saw the field in his rookie season.

For now, there remains tentative hope that Rodgers will announce his return and be the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2026. If he retires, the team that looked to be a playoff contender this upcoming season may instead be headed for a transition year where it will struggle to post a winning record.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The Washington Commanders have the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, putting them in a strong position to land one of this year’s blue-chip prospects. As draft day approaches, more details are emerging about what Washington could add in Round 1.

In his latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, ESPN.com’s Peter Schrager shared his belief that the Commanders will look to add to their defense in the first round. However, just because it doesn’t have value doesn’t mean it will happen with the seventh overall pick.

That’s because Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that Washington is one of the teams actively trying to move down from their current spot. The idea, of course, is to land a potential high-end starter from Round 1 as well as gain additional draft capital.

If Washington were to trade down from seventh overall, it’s possible a team like the Kansas City Chiefs (No. 9 overall pick) or the Cincinnati Bengals (No. 10 overall pick) would want to move up from the New Orleans Saints to acquire the lead.

Trading down would likely give the Commanders an additional draft pick on Day 2, potentially giving them a Week 1 starter at defensive back or someone who could eventually play a meaningful role in the season.

The Commander could hypothetically move down from the No. 7 pick to the No. 9-12 range and still land All-American safety Caleb Downs, LSU cornerback Mansur Delaney or potential Miami Hurricanes edge rusher Reuben Benn Jr. However, given the number of teams that want to go down, it will be difficult to complete a deal.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson