Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez are leading the Houston Astros’ starting rotation, but with the MLB trade deadline nearing, the organization could look to add another starter to solidify the group.

The Astros might not be in the market for a big-name starter like Sandy Alcántara and could be eyeing a reliable veteran arm to slot in the middle of the rotation while eating innings to help keep their bullpen fresh down the stretch.

On Monday’s “MLB Show,” Bleacher Report’s Tyler Ward believes Pittsburgh Pirates veteran starter Andrew Heaney will be a name that many teams, like the Astros, will be keen on. Despite a 4-8 record and a 4.59 ERA, Heaney has been a dependable innings eater for the Pirates, ranking third on the team with 98 innings pitched behind Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller.

“[He’s] not a guy that’s necessarily going to light up the lamp and dominate you every single time out there, but he is more of a true innings-eater,” Ward said. “That is where a lot of teams are going to find themselves in the market for Heaney, because he’s not going to cost you nearly as much as some of the other stars that we are breaking down today.

“But he also could be very productive for you in limited sample sizes down the stretch—especially if he goes to a pitching lab that could get the best out of him.”

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Ward believes the Astros could be a good match for Heaney, pointing to a strategy they used last season when they acquired left-hander Yusei Kikuchi. After joining Houston in a midseason trade, Kikuchi started 10 games and impressed with a 5-1 record and a 2.70 ERA.

“I think if there’s one team that could utilize a new lefty—and this year’s version of Yusei Kikuchi—step on down and meet Mr. Andrew Heaney,” Ward added. “He checks off the boxes. The Astros know him very well from his time there, not only with the Angels but also, more recently, with the Texas Rangers.

“Heaney just feels like a perfect fit for an Astros team that could get the best out of him while utilizing that pitching lab as brilliantly as they did with Yusei Kikuchi, who was dominant for them in the second half of last season as a southpaw option.”

Along with Houston, Ward sees the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees as potential landing spots for the 34-year-old. Ward is correct, the Astros know Heaney well from his time with the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers, so they have seen his strengths and weaknesses.

The question will be whether those strengths are enough for the Astros to pull the trigger on a trade.