The Houston Astros are in the top five regarding earned runs allowed with 342, and while their pitching has been excellent in the first half of the 2025 MLB season, there’s always room for improvement.

Houston hold a five-game lead over the Seattle Mariners, so if there are any areas that need reinforcement, now’s the time to address them to stay ahead in the division with the trade deadline nearing.

As teams determine whether to be buyers or sellers, Bleacher Report’s Tyler Ward predicts that Arizona Diamondbacks veteran starter Merrill Kelly will be one of the names on the move and notes why teams have the 36-year-old on their list of targets.

“When you’re looking for stability, there are a few that I think check off the box better than Merrill Kelly as a veteran right-hander to be slotted perfectly in the middle of whatever rotation you find yourself in,” Ward said on Monday’s "MLB Show️."

“Like Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly is also a free agent at the end of the season, so he’s most certainly going to be a hot commodity for a team should the Dimebacks go on this full selling spree the way that many are presuming as of now.”

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Regarding the teams that can be in on Kelly, Ward sees the Astros being one of the teams keen on the right-hander, as starting pitching appears to be the area that Houston could look to improve, despite Hunter Brown having an excellent season.

“What are the teams that could find themselves in the market here for Mr. Merrill Kelly? Again, there are an abundance to choose from, but I’m going to start here for Merrill Kelly: Astros,” Ward added.

“The Astros are having themselves an entertaining season this year, no doubt, but they could certainly utilize more oomph and more certainty in said rotation. Kelly, paired with Brown and everything else that they have cooking there, would be absolutely brilliant.”

Moreover, Ward believes that the Astros will be battling the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants for Kelly, who is posting an 8-5 record, 3.34 ERA, 2.9 WAR, and 113 strikeouts.

If Houston want Kelly, they might have the edge as Arizona might not be willing to deal him within the NL West. Still, with Kelly being a free agent after the season, the Diamondbacks might want to take what they can get regardless of whether it comes from a division rival.