This team is at a cross roads and has 3 choices. A) Go all -in for 2025 and try to win in Framber and Tuckers final seasons getting a 3rd ring before having to accept the inevitable rebuild. B) Use this final chance to trade legitimate star(s) and add talent, before they walk for very little compensation. This likely results in a step back in 2025 but a much brighter 2026+. C) Play out 2025 trying to reset the CBT and hope the current youngsters are legit and develop quickly.
Option A This option could possibly include Bregman, but that's not likely, as Alex will definitely want a team that is set up to win in 2026+ and this one isn't. Step 1 would be find a stop gap 3b. This option requires a more certain player here than Dezenzo, Whitcomb, or Matthews. If they do this, it means they feel the future 3b is already in the system though. I think Moancada or Iglesias are likely on 1 cheap one year deals. Step 2 and 3 is basically rinse and repeat w/ 1b and LF. 1b would be bringing in a guy like Goldschmidt, Santana, France, Gallo, etc. LF would be guys like Canha, Winker, Pham, Hays, etc. There really aren't any stop gap CF better than Meyers/Trammell. Step 3 would be finding a cheap veteran SP as insurance in case of injury and absorb some innings. Alex Wood, Martin Perz, etc. Possibly Verlander. The truth is, this would likely result in a very strong team for 1 year, especially if the new veterans have solid seasons and if there are no/minimal pitching injuries. But it would be very short sighted and make 2026 sting even more. unfortunately this is also the choice it feels like they are leaning towards.
Option C This is the least likely to me, as the current roster is clearly too shallow to legitimately compete and Crane will not go into a season expecting a poor year. 1b) Some combination of Singleton, Dezenzo, and Whitcomb. Caratini is in there occasionally if he's not traded but that would stunt Dezenzo and/or Whitcomb's development so would be a mistake. 3b) Some combination of Dubon, Dezenzo, Kessinger, and Whitcomb with the possibility of Matthews joining later in the year. LF) with no changes, this spot is McCormick's to lose early in the season. I hope/wish Whitcomb plays here in this option. Leon and Trammell fit here if they are found to be inadequate in CF. Hummel is a possibility Also. CF) Meyers is the incumbent and with only Trammell added, it feels like he will play a lot. Trammell has moved further and further away from CF the last few years, so I question his ability there. Leon is in the same boat. If none of them work out then move Chas here and try the same process in LF. The pitching is status quo with Framber and Brown heading the rotation and 3-4 of Blanco, Arrighetti, Garcia, McCullers, Gusto, and Gordon filling out the rest of the spots. Javier could be an option after the ASB. This team would be very much like the 2024 team - probably strong enough to win a very weak division but not a serious contender. Furthermore- in 2026, Framber and Tucker walk, and just like with Bregman, no improvement or possibility comes from it resulting in an even worse team moving forward.
Option B requires more time than I have, so I will post it later. ( I'm excited about this one eventhough there is ZERO chance they do it)
A lot of the offseason comments and rumors lead me to believe they intend to add a LF and have McCormick in CF. It’s a shame Dezenzo and Whitcomb didn’t get bigger samples in the majors last season. I’m hoping they both get 200+ pa this season, as neither of them looked overmatched offensively when they were called up and both have pretty high ceilings. But I think they are realistically limited to 1B or LF (although I imagine Dezenzo could play RF passably).
I actually imagine a universe where Whitcomb and Dezenzo are the starting corner OF in 2026. They have both spent the majority of their careers on the left side of the infield, so are probably candidates for RF. I'm not sure how much hope there is for Dezenzo staying at 3b, but RF may be preferable to 1b in long term value. Shay is not a 3b and maybe not a 1b. I actually think Dezenzo getting significant playing time at 1b and Whitcomb in LF this year could be a big benefit to 2026-2030. But there would likely be lots of growing pains and you hate to waste Framber and Tucker's last season.
D) Sign a guy like Santander to play RF, trade Tucker for a couple prospects plus a young but mlb ready 1B or 3B who has a good chance of being league average, keep Framber and assess the situation at the trade deadline. If we look legit then add where needed, if we look like a long shot then move Framber and be ready to add what is needed in the offseason. Tucker could be moved without being out of the race for 25 if we get a legit bat to replace him, even if it's one that isn't as good as Tucker (very few are)
There are only two choices. 1. Trade our most valuable players this Winter and reload from a position of strength this winter and get younger and stronger. 2. Patch up the roster with whatever can be scrounged up for virtually no money and make one last desperate run at the post season. The following Winter with very little left to trade, rebuilding will be dependent upon the farm and a few years of high draft picks. I personally prefer the first option as I do not expect to be around long enough to see the results of the second
Astros can afford to pay Tucker all the monies he wants. Whether they choose to, or whether he wants the money elsewhere, is a different proposition. Who's being obtuse now?
You know he’s gone. There’s nothing left to say on the matter. Any mention of him returning isn’t taken seriously. So, you?
Here’s an idea: sign Juan Soto and Alex Bregman and Joc Pederson. Then trade Yordan Alvarez to the Phillies for their 5 best prospects. Now they’ve got one of the 5 best current teams in baseball and a top 10 farm system. I would hate to see that because Yordan is my 2nd favorite baseball player of all time. But that’s the most direct path to fixing the long term and short term.
