The Houston Astros have done some work over the winter break. Players have healed up and the team has made moves to shore up a starting pitching rotation that had crumbled under the weight of injuries and free agency.
Arguably, pitching was first, second and third on the list of offseason priorities and it showed. GM Dana Brown shocked everyone by signing Tatsuya Imai on the first day of 2026, adding what should be a top three arm to a rotation that already has Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, Spencer Arrighetti, and Mike Burrows, who was acquired in a trade.
But, those weren’t the only questions plaguing this team and, quite frankly, the remaining issues are going to be fairly critical to the 2026 season with Spring Training just one month away, so let’s address them.
How do you fix the logjam in the infield?
Currently, the Astros have the left side of the infield set with Carlos Correa at third and Jeremy Peรฑa at shortstop. But second and first are anything but. The team has reportedly tried to move Christian Walker after only one year of his three-year deal thanks to a less-than-ideal performance in 2025, but with few takers. Isaac Paredes, who is heading into arbitration, would ostensibly be the better option at first were Walker moved. If not, Paredes may need to be on the block, not an ideal solution for a team that would prefer him over Walker.
Then there is second base. There has been some talk about moving Paredes to second, but doubts he would excel. Mauricio Dubon was traded this offseason and his replacement, Nick Allen, will likely be counted on to play the utility role. A dark horse candidate could be Brice Matthews, who looks the part and is likely ready for a jump from the minors, but with so few members of the 40-man roster having options, they may not be able to play him full time, something manager Joe Espada has said would be a requirement for anyone on the roster. That leaves us with…
Where is Jose Altuve playing?
Jose Altuve would seem to be the logical choice to play his natural position, but the team has said for well over a year now that they believe his growing defensive shortcomings at the position undermine their defensive priorities up the middle. He played both second and left field last season and that could continue along with some time at the DH spot, but not having an everyday second baseman or someone like Matthews who is ready to assume that role as a youngster makes figuring out what to do with the team’s elder statesman and all-time greatest player…awkward.
The truth is if Altuve hits well, even with his numbers dipping slightly the last couple years, he has real value in a lineup that isn’t exactly stacked and oft injured. But, if his appearances at the plate start to show the same signs of aging as his play in the field, some very uncomfortable conversations are looming.
What is going on in the outfield?
The outfield isn’t exactly a mess, but it’s certainly not set by any stretch. At the moment, only Jake Meyers projects as a starter in center, but he also might be their most valuable trade asset. It would have been easier to do that had they not moved Jacob Melton in the deal for Burrows, but really only Meyers and surprising rookie Zach Cole are set to man that spot. Losing Melton also costs them another lefty bat they so desperately need.
Left field is looking like some kind of platoon situation with Yordan Alvarez splitting time with Altuve and several other potentials like Zach Dezenzo. Alvarez generally hits better when he is playing defense in the field, but the Astros wouldn’t stick him out there for the whole season both because his lack of speed limits his defensive abilities away from the short porch at Daikin Park and because they want to protect him from injury.
That leaves right field where Cam Smith was a revelation defensively in his first ever stint at the position last season. But, if he struggles in Spring Training at the plate the way he did late in the season in 2025, it’s conceivable, though not ideal, he could be sent to Sugar Land to work on his game. Problem is they don’t have much behind him. Jesus Sanchez was brought in to shore up the left side of the plate but was not good after being acquired at the deadline.
This article appears in Private: Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2026.