With the trade of Kyle Tucker to the Cubs last week, the Astros will next turn their eyes to a number of possibilities when it comes to completing their roster. They still have a hole at first base along with some question marks in the outfield and the pitching rotation. For GM Dana Brown, the next month promises to be a busy one.
Let’s look into the crystal ball and see if we can answer five of their more pressing questions before Spring Training.
Will they re-sign Alex Bregman?
Unlikely. The fact is that the Yankees are expected to go all out to sign the third baseman. It would be a really ugly feeling for fans to see Breggy in pinstripes, but given he wants more than $200 million for his contract, it is more likely to happen than him returning to Houston. The Astros offered him $156 million and probably could go a bit higher depending on the years, but adding another 50 million dollars is a steep ask for a team that is still somewhat hamstrung by leftover contracts. Fortunately, they have a fallback position in Isaac Peredes, a pretty savvy move by Brown in the Tucker trade.
Will they trade Framber Valdez?
50/50. Valdez, another free agent after the upcoming season, could bring back a good haul of players and the Astros still have quite a few quality arms in the rotation (and more returning this season from injury). But, as we saw in 2024, you can never have enough pitching arms, particularly elite ones like Valdez. If the Astros don’t believe they can extend him, however, they might decide the prospects they could add and potential holes they could fill on the major league roster would be worth the move.
Who do they target at first base?
The more important question is who do they target at first AND third. Paredes can play both corner infield spots, though he’s played much more at third. If they Astros do sign Bregman, Paredes is the natural fit at first. The team could also target Nolen Arenado, who the Cardinals are expected to move. But, at 33 with three years left (and a down offensive year last year) on his contract, the Astros might think twice given what they went through with Jose Abreu. Another option would be Christian Walker at first, but the Yankees reportedly are going after him hard as well.
How do they handle the outfield?
With Tucker gone and Yordan Alvarez not expected to spend boatloads of time in left field this season, the Astros have some holes for sure. Chas McCormick will be back after a tough year and the team still hopes Jake Meyers can figure things out at the plate. They also acquired Taylor Trammell in November, but he is mostly a defensive option. Then there is Maruicio Dubon, who is so valuable as a utility player. More likely, the Astros will look to a new batch of young players including Zach Dezenzo, Pedro Leon and Jacob Melton. Brown has said newly acquired Cam Smith, who is rocketing through the minors, could play right field as well. Expect several of those guys to compete for spots in Spring Training even if the Astros make a trade for an outfielder.
What should we actually expect in 2025?
One thing that a lot of fans may have missed is the fact that the Astros are still saddled with contracts for 2025. In addition to Abreu and Rafel Montero (ugh), Ryan Pressly will collect on the final year of his contract even as Kendall Graveman returns from injury. The reality is that they Astros still have a very good chance of winning the AL West, but they could, by their standards, have another down year depending on the moves they make between now and Spring Training. The good news is that they will have much more freedom to spend after the 2025 season and, hopefully, some of their young prospects will begin to pay real dividends as they begin to rebuild the farm system.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
