In my vision, Urias and Dubon form a SS platoon. Their career splits line up for it. Correa offers some insurance but I wouldn’t expect him to play more than ~30 games at SS. CF Meyers 1B/2B/3B Paredes DH/LF Alvarez 3B/SS Correa 2B/LF/DH Altuve LF/RF Sanchez C Diaz RF Smith SS/2B Urias/Dubon
Not only that, he said he wanted to move to 3rd permanently. I'm sure he'd help out at SS in a pinch but he wants to play 3rd.
Pena is a GG shortstop that hits .300, gets on base, and has power. These guys don't grow on trees. And, we are not putting CC over there for any consistent time. He'll wind up spending half a season on the pine.
The Astros could win 95-100 games next year. They still will have Brown, Abreu, Hader, Sousa .... Correa, Altuve, Alvarez, Smith, Pena, Meyers and Paredes. The Astros have just ran into an incredible buzzsaw of injuries in 2025.
I don't think they are going big fish hunting for a starting pitcher in free agency - that isn't going to happen. However, I can see them signing a couple of older guys that will not cost an arm and a leg, targeting guys in trade that they believe that they can improve. The cost of free agent pitching is going to be very high. I also know for a fact they have tinkered with moving off of Walker, that frees up some money. I also wouldn't rule out the Astros seeing what they could get for Pena or Diaz in a potential trade. The Astros were talking to the Rays about a deal sending Diaz to the Rays or a third team, before Correa happened. This is just my guess, but I suspect we see Crane not want to sign any pitchers to long term extensions of deals over 2-3 years after what has happened with McCullers, Verlander, Garcia, Javier, Urquidy and others. Right now pitching is the most fungible I have ever seen it be in baseball..... just go look at the Astros, Dodgers, Braves and Rays rosters over the last 5 seasons and see how many very good ones have come and gone.
And I think the team is worn out. With all the injuries + under-performance, you've been asking too many guys to carry a heavier workload and, eventually, that's going to catch up to them, which is what I think is happening. Abreu, for example, looks washed and could probably use a very long, restful offseason. But I contend, fully healthy, this is a very good team that just needs more starting pitching. If your everyday line-up includes Pena, Yordan, Paredes, Correa, Altuve, Diaz, Walker, Meyers + whoever is hot/matches up well among Smith, Sanchez, Dubon and Caratini... that's a damn good line-up. It's not 2019 and probably isn't 2004 - but it would rank as one of the better line-ups in team history. And I think they have a really good bullpen, too (though I'd take another high-leverage arm). The unfortunate part of this season, really, was that the team was too good to trade Framber, and he's now almost certainly going to walk. It's obviously complicated because you're not trading Framber and trading for Correa on the same day - but Framber could've been a vital piece to fill-in some of the holes in the system.
I don't think so. The contract lengths and amounts are practically the same. Eduardo has also been pretty bad the last couple of seasons. I don't mind moving Walker, because Paredes can shift over to 1st base. As for Rodriguez, it is tough to know what you will get from him - but he should at least take the ball every 5th day. Walker is an odd player, it is very possible that he has an 800+ OPS next year. Dubon is a nice piece to have on a team, but he is replacable. If the Astros were to move Pena, then sure Dubon can hit 9th and start at SS, otherwise I don't think he makes or breaks the season. I think a lot of it depends on what the outlook is for guys like Wiesnieski, Blanco, Walter, Arrighetti and Sousa. Are any of these guys likely to be pitching for the Astros in 2026? How do the Astros feel about Pecko, Ullola, Blubaugh, Santa. Are these guys good enough to pitch in the rotation or leverage in the pen? What about Brice Matthews and Jacob Melton? Does Brown view them as serious pieces going forward or will they be dealt for a starting pitcher or maybe a really good controllable reliever. Is Matthews going to be the starting second baseman? There is so much that goes into it - I could see a reset, or I could see the Astros sign a middling pitcher they like and think they can improve, and trade for another younger pitcher they think can help them at low cost in salary for multiple seasons. If Blanco and/or Wiesnieski is going to be back, that makes a big difference. Everyone is complaining about Walker - but it is McCullers that is killing them salarywise in 2026.
I completely agree. Just on offense, the Astros have the potential to be an elite offense and defense next year. There is also room for guys to grow and improve. I don't anticipate Caratini being back and possibly not Dubon either, but it is largely irrelevant because of the depth and talent. Pens typically are up and down but they presumably have an elite closer and set up man, and there are plenty of arms to fill other roles. Santa in the minors is someone they think can be a long term answer as well. As for Framber - they didn't get the offers they wanted, so they held onto him and went for it. I do not begrudge them for that and the Astros will get draft compensation. All of the talk of the Astros run being done is premature - they just had horrendous injuries. It happened to the Braves too, and the Dodgers are only afloat because of their massive payroll.
I think if the Astros deal Pena - they should deal Walker as well. Paredes is given 1st base and you try again to extend him. Correa has 3rd base locked down. For 2026 you go with Dubon and Urias --- and second can be Matthews and Urias if the Astros believe in Matthews. The outfield is Cam/Meyers/Sanchez/Altuve and DH is Alvarez and Altuve --- I try to only play Altuve and Alvarez 130 games a piece. The pieces the Astros would get for Pena would likely include someone else to get at bats. I would personally move Melton for something and also get Cam some run in CF. I would keep Gordon to yo yo between AAA and Houston. He isn't great but he does stay healthy and usually is somewhat competitive.
Arrighetti - is that news or a prediction? Last I saw, Astros said he was getting a second opinion. Sounds ominous and wouldn’t be surprised if he was cooked for 2026. Just wondering if that’s been settled.
Can’t recall cases like Spencer or Luis of pitchers retuning from a major arm injury only to be hurt again immediately on return. Hoping it’s all a fluke
Spencer didn't have an arm injury - he had a broken thumb. It's not really surprising about Luis either given he already had a setback last year and his return took so much longer than the typical case.
It's really amazing. I do hope we hold on and win the division, if only to shove it in the rangers and m's faces...but we're not winning the WS this year. It's just not in the cards. Some crazy a** stuff would have to change pretty quickly and it just isn't going to happen. Like @Hey Now! said...I just think they're cooked. This team has played more games than any other team over the last decade. Granted the players change, but it catches up at some point. Get healthy this offseason and be one of the best teams again in 2026.
I think the Astros could either miss the playoffs completely or make a magical deep run like in 2020 based off their playoff experience. But I just feel like the former is more likely unfortunately.
