This was an easy pickup. Very low cost and he has proven to pretty damn good when healthy. If you have some spare roster spots, you take a flyer.
Brown has been Astros GM for a little over a year and you appear to want him gone. The 2023 offseason was dominated who the owner signed: Jose Abreu, Rafael Montero, and Michael Brantley ... and who the owner did not sign: Justin Verlander. The 2023 draft results? We will not know how these prospects pan out for years. The 2023 trade deadline was dominated by the owner, when the Astros sent 2 top.5 prospects to bring back Verlander. The 2024 offseason was again dominated who the owner signed: Josh Hader. I think that we can give credit to Brown for signed C2 Victor Caratini. I am not sure what you wanted Brown to do this offseason. The owner is tying Brown's hand wrt the budget by all of his big ticket signings.
The pitchers on the 26 man roster to start the season ... Projecting the Astros' Opening Day roster for 2024 Starting pitchers (5): Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Hunter Brown, J.P. France, Ronel Blanco With Justin Verlander (still building up from shoulder issue) and José Urquidy (elbow) headed to the IL to start the season, France and Blanco slide into the final two slots in the rotation to start the year. Relief pitchers (7): Josh Hader, Ryan Pressly, Rafael Montero, Bennett Sousa, Brandon Bielak, Seth Martinez, Parker Mushinski Bryan Abreu, one of Houston’s best relievers, will miss the first two games because of a suspension handed down in last year’s ALDS, so the Astros will be down a pitcher to start the year. Bielak, and even Martinez, can offer some long relief options, and Sousa and Mushinski give manager Joe Espada three lefties in the bullpen.