Astros insist they’re not selling. Here’s why they actually mean it.

The Houston Astros are 37-42. Fourth place in the AL West. Underperforming by every preseason projection. And yet, anyone expecting a fire sale before the trade deadline should probably stop holding their breath.

MLB insider Bob Nightengale made that pretty clear during a recent appearance on Foul Territory. Teams have called. They’ve kicked the tires on guys like Yordan Alvarez and others. The answer they keep getting back is no.

“Teams have inquired and said, ‘Hey, you gonna move some of these guys? We’re interested.’ And they said, ‘No,’” Nightengale said.

It’s not just stubbornness. Look at the standings. The Astros are only three games back of the Mariners for first place. They’re two games out of a Wild Card spot. In a division that’s wide open — Texas is inconsistent, Seattle can’t hit, Anaheim is rebuilding — Houston’s window isn’t slammed shut.

The Crane factor

Owner Jim Crane is the reason this matters. He told Nightengale, “As long as I own the team, there will be no rebuild.” That’s not just talk. Crane has a history of pushing chips in. When the Astros were bad in the early 2010s, he spent. When they were contenders, he traded for Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke at deadlines where other owners would’ve pinched pennies.

So even though the Astros look ordinary right now — they’re not the buzzsaw that won the World Series in 2022 — Crane isn’t hitting the reset button. He’s betting on the core. And that core still has Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, and Alvarez.

Yordan Alvarez isn’t going anywhere

Alvarez is the obvious name other teams would ask about. He’s a generational hitter under team control through 2028. If he were on the block, half the league would line up. But according to Nightengale’s reporting, that’s not happening. The Astros aren’t even listening on him, which tells you everything about their deadline approach.

They’re more likely to be buyers than sellers, even with a sub-.500 record. Houston needs pitching help — the bullpen has been shaky, and the rotation behind Valdez and Cristian Javier has been inconsistent. But knowing Crane, he’ll try to add rather than subtract.

It’s a gamble. The Astros could fall apart in July and wish they’d cashed out on some veterans. But right now, they’re in the mix. And in Crane’s mind, that’s enough to justify going for it.