Urías, 31, was traded to Houston from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Twine Palmer. The utility infielder might be somewhat unknown to all but dedicated baseball fans. But look beyond the surface stats, and Urías could be a valuable addition for Houston's push toward the postseason.

The Houston Astros got their third baseman, acquiring Ramon Urias and cash considerations from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday for minor-league pitching prospect Twine Palmer.

When your chief division rivals just swung a trade for the best third baseman on the market (Eugenio Suárez), when the injured third baseman you’re trying to replace is an All-Star (Isaac Paredes), and when you’ve been entertaining a reunion with a beloved former Astro (Carlos Correa), a trade like this lands with a splat.