With a week before the MLB non-waiver trade deadline on July 31, the Houston Astros made the first big move of the summer on Thursday when they traded for Oakland lefty Scott Kazmir, giving them a big-time rental pitcher to pair atop their rotation with AL all-star starter Dallas Keuchel.
Kazmir has been tremendous against the Rangers over the course of his career, which is bad news considering the Rangers see the Astros plenty more this season as one of the two teams in the AL West they're chasing in the standings.
This season, Kazmir has made three starts against the Rangers. In those three starts, he's 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA. Sure, they would have had to face him just as much had he stayed in Oakland, but they aren't chasing the A's. And with Kazmir probably being the most coveted pitcher on the market other than Cole Hamels, the hope was that he'd go somewhere far away from the Rangers' thoughts, such as an NL team.
The Rangers host the Astros to open their August slate, and you have to wonder if the rotation will line up to where Kazmir will be taking the mound at Globe Life.
