The Astros have outfielders in their system, and there will be some available in free agency as well. Outfielders include: Bellinger, Hernandez, Conforto, Santander, Verdugo, Winker. As for 1st basemen: Goldschmidt, Walker, Alonso, Hoskins. As for 3rd base: Chapman, Bregman, Ursula, Moncada and Suarez. Willy Adames is a free agent and could play SS or 3rd for the Astros. I expect that the Astros will also look for a starter - Scherzer, Verlander, Kikuchi, Snell, Ray, Fried, Morton, Evoldi, Wacha, Burnes, Flaherty, Bieber, Severino are the guys that are possible targets. My best educated guess is that the Astros add one veteran starter to replace Verlander/Kikuchi and they add one bigger bat to replace Bregman and then one second tier player to fill 3rd base until Matthews or Dezenzo is ready. I could see a situation where Bregman goes to NY or AZ and Walker or Adames ends up in Houston. Goldschmidt on a short deal would make a lot of sense if they were not just stung by the Abreu signing.
No reason it can’t, I just think he’s leaving. Also, if he does stay, we still need to add 2 bats and an innings eater. We desperately need a 1st baseman and an outfielder who can hit. I am not a fan of moving Diaz to 1B. I hate it, actually. He loses value doing that and we shouldn’t have a hard time upgrading 1B or left field in the offseason. Keeping Bregman would be great, but his salary coming off the books probably opens new doors.
Give me Verlander, Conforto, and Carlos Santana all on 2 year deals and I would be very satisfied. That should be all that’s needed for Dana Brown to bide time to get the farm all the way rebuilt.
Two big bats may not be doable, especially if they sign a quality starting pitcher. Maybe they can get someone like Conforto as a steal, and then sign one of the older pitchers to a one year deal - and have enough money to go after someone like Christian Walker. I haven't heard this from the Astros - but I wonder if they are going to be really aggressive going after someone like Max Fried or Burnes to lock them in for 4-5 years and then wait and see which bat falls through the cracks or they can get in trade to address the offense for 2025. I would be happy Christian Walker and Verlander/Kikuchi back to be honest.... and then trade for an outfielder that has a year or two left on his contract.
That is doable IMO. Conforto is better than last year and should be even better outside of San Francisco. He can extend the order.
No. You want to sign a guy turning 39 to a 2 year deal to play 1B or DH? He's been on 1 year deals the last 2 years and should be paid in line with that and I'd still be worried we'll actually be worse at 1B. JV should be year-to-year unless a 2nd year is purely incentive based. JV is 41, going to have missed half a season not too far from missing 2 seasons. It would be really hard to let him walk with all the other injured starters we would have to rely on coming back next season, but right now I'd be real uneasy.
Of course it depends on AAV, my thinking is that both JV and Santana would give a significant discount on the average rate to secure a 2nd year and make it highly likely they’ve secured their last contract and know where they’re gonna finish their careers. My main thing is that I really don’t want Houston giving any significant free agent a deal longer than 2 years.
While I understand wanting to keep Bregman an Astro for life, just like Altuve, there is no way he will find a contract out there like that so there is no reason to overpay. I can see him getting $30M per year, but only if the contract is 5yrs or less. I can see him getting a $200M guarantee, but only if the contract is 8+ years ( likely longer) Altuve got $5/$125 ($25M AAV). Alex is 4 yrs younger. He has not been as good as Jose overall, but any contract should age much better. I would be OK with the same deal, but Alex will want more because of his age. Sweet spot = 6yrs/$150 but 7yrs/$175 would not be the end if the world. More than that and I'm out.
Still plays a pretty good RF, was good with the bat last year but has been pretty bad this one. Also, and this is getting ahead of ourselves, you may not want to look at his Postseason numbers.
Agreed about Bregs not being here next year. However, the money is there to keep one of Tucker or Bregs. I'm not scared of losing Bregs. What I would like Dana to do is to bring back Bregs and trade Tucker to fill 2 of the 3 needs you listed. This is only if Tucker isn't willing to re-sign. If Tucker is willing to stay then disregard this post.
Hopefully they can sign a bat like Alonso. A guy still in his prime. I would go cheap and use a combination of Whitcomb and Dezenzo at 3B after seeing the FA list of 3B. Bring back a guy like Gamel and platoon him with one of the young OF'ers. I could see Whitcomb splitting time between 3B/LF.
My guess is that Alonso will be too expensive. The Mets will likely offer him a strong contract and he is a big name. Walker is older - but actually may be a better fit because he may not cost as much and he may not need as many years. Walker is also a better fielder as well and a better rounded offensive player. I am gun shy after Gurriel and Abreu getting old - but Walker is only 32 years old and should be good for another 3 seasons. There is something to be said about having a "complete" player too. While Walker doesn't have the best batting average, he does hit for power - draws walks and gives you a plus glove at 1st. After Abreu and Singleton - I would like someone that I can count on being a top 20% defensive guy at his spot.
Was it Dana Brown who scouted Max Fried? Maybe if he still likes him, he'll go after him hard. Burnes would be nice. A Burnes/Valdez 1 - 2 punch for next year would be really good and if you decide to let Valdez go the year after, Burnes essentially takes his spot. Walker for 1b would be my dream. Kind of old so should only take a 4 or 5 year deal perhaps? I would stay away from Goldschmidt. I would be afraid of another Abreu situation.
Houston spending $200M+ on a SP makes zero sense to me but neither did spending $95M on a closer so what do I know. I personally look at Framber, Hunter, Ronel, Spencer, Garcia, and Blubaugh and I don’t see a huge need for a SP (although I do think they should still add one this offseason).
Yeah after looking at the 2026 free agent pitchers, I would pass on handing out a big contract for a starter. Plus a Valdez Brown 1 - 2 punch could be just as good. At most , offer a 1 year deal to Verlander or a short term deal to Kikuchi. And then in 2026, you can choose to extend Valdez or replace him with another SP free agent. Astros dream trade target last year was allegedly Dylan Cease. He's a free agent if they still like him.
Tucker really going to miss the rest of the season after fouling a ball off his shin in June isn’t he?
