Jeremy Pena has been a Houston Astros trade rumor that won’t go away. Now one year away from becoming a free agent, this offseason provides urgency for Houston to do what they have in the past as well as what they haven’t. This is an organization that hasn’t been afraid to move on from core players. It may now be time to turn the page and sell him while they can.

The Astros aren’t in desperate need to deal him, though. They could save some money which could be better invested elsewhere. The lack of desperation should have them asking for the moon and the moon’s moon.

Pena is a well-rounded hitter who still managed to tie his career high in home runs with 22 last year despite playing in only 112 games. He’s incredibly desirable and a team often linked to him, the Atlanta Braves, should be the ones that throw their best trade offer at the Astros to get it done. There’s only one package they should accept.

This Braves trade offer for Jeremy Pena will be too irresistible for the Astros to say “no”

THe Braves need to shake off the cobwebs and give into the high demands the Astros need to maintain with Pena. They have leverage with a possibly qualifying offer still available to them at the end of the 2027 season (pending the outcome of the CBA). Regardless, there’s always the trade deadline or post-lockout to adjust their stance. In any case, back up the Brinks truck. This is the only offer they should accept.

It’s going to take two top 100 prospects plus another good arm to pull Pena away right now. Shortstops who can do what he can aren’t readily available.

The Astros have to ask for Eric Hartman or Cam Caminiti. Hartman is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the 38th best prospect in the sport. A 20th rank pick out of Alberta, Hartman discovered his Canadian lumberjack strength last year by hammering 26 home runs in the minors. He’s actually incredibly fast and quite possibly the solution the Astros have been searching for in center field. 

Caminiti is a name Astros fans will already know, the cousin of Ken Caminii who played for the Astros in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The 24th overall pick from 2024 is ranked right behind Hartman at 39th. He has averaged 10.5 K/9 in the pros with a 3.26 ERA overall.

The Astros get one of them in the deal. It’s a must. On top of that, they get a shortstop candidate to replace Pena down the line. Tate Southisene is MLB’s 58th ranked prospect. Atlanta’s first round pick from 2025, he had a productive first full season in the minors in 2026 which ended with one game in Double-A shortly before he turned 20-years-old. The Braves probably have their eye on Southisene replacing whoever is their shortstop in 2027 and maybe 2028. If they want that answer to be Pena, they’re going to have to redraw their plans.

It’s a lot to give up even if it is “only” two prospects. Last offseason, the New York Mets traded two top 100 prospects for Freddy Peralta with only a year of control left. The situation is similar with Pena in some regards. Did the Mets overpay? Possibly, but Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams also didn’t have big seasons in 2026 for the Milwaukee Brewers or their minor league teams.

Shooting for more than one top 100 prospect feels like a reasonable starting point for the Astros. The Braves, who could really use a guy like Pena, should think carefully about what it means for the future.

Meanwhile, the Astros can get away with taking a step back. This is the kind of trade that frustrates fans at the moment, but in a couple of years, you’re thankful for. The only mistake they can make is not asking for enough in a trade.