We are just scraping the new year and it’s been a hell of an offseason for the Houston Astros. After an ultimately disappointing season wrecked by inconsistent play and all kinds of injuries, the Stros head into 2025 a changed ballclub and no one is certain if it is for the better.
Major additions and subtractions have already punctuated the offseason (with still probably one or two moves to come) as GM Dana Brown and the team tries to retool in the face of rapidly growing star level salaries around baseball. None of us know what to expect in 2025, but here’s what to look for in the new year.
Health could be a helper in 2025.
In 2024, health cost them numerous rotation pitchers. Yes, it opened up opportunities for Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti, but it also left them scrambling, including signing Yusei Kikuchi at the trade deadline. Thanks to the emergence of Blanco and Arrighetti, and the rise of Hunter Brown, they survived, but having players like Luis Garcia and even Lance McCullers (we know, we know) return could be a huge boon to the pitching staff. Even Kendall Graveman and J.P. France could prove helpful to a team that proved last season you can never have enough pitching depth.
The new additions should have an impact on the team immediately.
The addition of Christian Walker via free agency, and the dramatic trade of Kyle Tucker for Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski and Cam Smith sent reverberations across not just the franchise, but the entire American League. As hard as it was to move on from Tucker who could command half a billion in free agency after 2025, Paredes will comfortably slide into first base and Wesneski will get time in both the rotation and bullpen. Smith, who might have been the best player in the deal, could be impactful in 2026 if he doesn’t blow up in the minors this season.
And the veteran Walker at first, a Gold Glover and excellent bat from the right side, will be a massive upgrade over the miserable platoon at that spot last year. Of course, Alex Bregman is likely to sign elsewhere and his loss along with Tucker will be difficult to replace. But it could have been much worse.
There is still tremendous uncertainty about the outfield.
One of the problem with losing Tucker is it leaves a gaping hole in the outfield. For now, Dana Brown has said they will slot Chas McCormick in right while keeping Jake Meyers in center to start the season. Yordan Alvarez is expected to play a lot less outfield, so left could be a battle between valuable utility man Mauricio Dubon, last year’s rookie Zach Dezenzo, and recent acquisition Taylor Trammel. Another player to watch is prospect Jacob Melton, who spent half of 2024 at Sugar Land playing center. Eventually, Smith might have a shot in the outfield as well, but that probably won’t be in 2025.
There could be more moves, but don’t be surprised if they are put off until 2026.
Patience is difficult for fans of a team that has been so dominant, but it may be worth practicing. The 2025 Astros may be just shy of a big turnover of players that could fuel the next era for the franchise. In addition to Melton, Dezenzo and Smith, young position players like Luis Baez, Brice Matthews and even Pero Leon could be on the come in 2026. Additionally, the Astros have a handful of very promising young pitchers including Miguel Ullola, A.J. Blumbaugh, and Jose Fluery in their farm system.
Perhaps most importantly, a number of big contracts will come off the books freeing up valuable roster space. It’s tough to spend big when you have contracts like Jose Abreu and Rafael Montero on the books, as well as cash sunk into another season of Ryan Pressly. No one wants to wait, but 2026 could have a lot more shine on it than this year if we all can just hold on.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
