3 Trade Landing Spots For Astros' Jeremy Pena

Jeremy Pena has spent his entire career as a fixture in Houston, but a losing stretch and failed contract talks have pushed the shortstop into trade speculation ahead of the August 3 deadline.

ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan ranked Pena as the No. 3 player most likely to be moved, giving him a 35 percent chance of being traded.

The 28-year-old is a Gold Glover and former World Series and ALCS MVP who has become one of the better all-around shortstops in baseball, hitting around .295 with a strong .359 on-base percentage this season before a rib injury landed him on the injured list.

He has already turned down a contract extension and will be a free agent after 2027, which is what makes him available. Here are three landing spots that make sense.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves are the most frequently connected team to Peña.

Atlanta has a glaring hole at shortstop after injuries to Ha-Seong Kim, and USA Today's Jon Hoefling named Pena a top trade candidate for contenders, citing his plus defense and solid power-speed combination as an ideal fit.

The Braves are pretty much guaranteed to be sellers of pending free agents but could also look to add a controllable middle infielder, and Pena stands out as the top option on the market if Alex Anthopoulos decides to address the position.

A move to Atlanta would immediately upgrade both the infield defense and the lineup.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays are always looking for value, and shortstop has been a weak spot.

Tampa Bay makes sense as a landing spot given its need for offensive stability up the middle, and Pena's blend of defense, speed, and improving bat fits the profile of a contender trying to solidify its roster for a postseason push.

His two-plus years of control before free agency would also appeal to a Rays team that values acquiring players it can keep beyond a single stretch run.

New York Yankees

The Yankees have dealt with shortstop questions and could look to upgrade over Anthony Volpe.

New York has the resources to take on Pena and the motivation to add a proven, postseason-tested defender for a deep October run.

His Gold Glove defense would be a significant upgrade up the middle, and his playoff pedigree, headlined by his 2022 World Series MVP, is exactly the kind of experience the Yankees covet.

The complication in all of this is health and Houston's stance.

The Astros initially planned to buy, and Pena is much more likely to remain in Houston than be moved, but if the team falls out of contention and his injury lingers, the shortstop could be one of the more coveted names available before the deadline.