Over the weekend, it was reported that the Astros circled back to Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado in trade talks after longtime third baseman Alex Bregman officially departed the club to sign with the Red Sox. Those renewed conversations surrounding Arenado don’t appear likely to result in a deal as things stand, but they do demonstrate a clear desire on the part of Astros brass to improve upon an offense that lost both Bregman and star outfielder Kyle Tucker this winter.
It’s not hard to see why Houston would like to upgrade their lineup. Among hitters with at least 100 plate appearances for the club last year, Tucker led the way with a sensational 181 wRC+ while Bregman ranked fourth with a figure of 118. As important as both players were, it’s fair to point out the club has a number of successful hitters still in the fold: Yordan Alvarez (168 wRC+) and Jose Altuve (127 wRC+) put up excellent numbers last year, and the catcher position remains strong with Yainer Diaz (117 wRC+) and Victor Caratini (113 wRC+).
Still, the combination of Alvarez, Altuve, Diaz, and Caratini cover just three spots in the lineup. The quartet do not figure to be in the same lineup very often this year, particularly now that Altuve is slated to play left field on at least a semi-frequent basis in order to keep Alvarez at DH, thereby stopping manager Joe Espada from penciling Diaz or Caratini in at DH on days when the other catching. Offseason additions of Isaac Paredes (117 wRC+) and Christian Walker (119 wRC+) should help to keep things afloat, with Paredes in particular projecting to serve as a near perfect replacement for Bregman with the bat despite his shortcomings on defense.
The Astros have a solid offensive nucleus, but their lineup figures to include several below-average hitters this year and sorely miss the offensive contributions Tucker has offered throughout his career. Without Tucker, the club’s entire projected outfield mix is questionable. Center fielder Jake Meyers is a career .228/.292/.371 (87 wRC+) hitter whose 2024 numbers were right in line with that production. Ben Gamel posted a 115 wRC+ last year, but that came in just 99 plate appearances and was his first above average offensive season since 2018. Chas McCormick has shown some solid potential with the bat in the past, but he’s coming off a career-worst campaign where he hit just .211/.271/.306 (66 wRC+). He’s also struggled to produce against right-handed pitching even in his more successful seasons.
The introduction of Altuve to the club’s left field mix should help to add some pop to the outfield, but the leading candidates to take over for him at second base are Mauricio Dubon and Brendan Rodgers. Both have six seasons in the majors, and neither has posted an above-average offensive season. What’s more, the departure of Tucker and Jon Singleton’s move to the bench leaves Alvarez as the club’s only lefty swinging regular, unless the club turns to Gamel for everyday reps. It seems clear that the Astros would benefit from adding another hitter to the mix — ideally a lefty.
The problem, however, is that very few options remain available in free agency, and even fewer of them are left-handed. Alex Verdugo has plenty of experience in left field and is perhaps the best left-handed bat still available, but he’s coming off a career-worst season. David Peralta is coming off a solid season in a part-time role with the Padres last year but is headed into his age-37 campaign. In terms of potential infielders, part-time players like Jose Iglesias and Whit Merrifield are not only right-handed, but also provide little over internal options like Dubon and Rodgers.
Perhaps there’s a trade to be worked out, even as swinging a deal for Arenado remains unlikely. The Twins have been rumored to be getting calls on utility man Willi Castro this winter, and a switch-hitter capable of playing both the infield and outfield seems like an ideal fit. Meanwhile, Tigers infielder Zach McKinstry and Mets infielder Brett Baty are two lefty bats currently on the bubble of their club’s 26-man roster.
In the case of a Castro trade or even a signing like Verdugo, money might also be a complicating factor. Reports have generally described the Astros’ budget as close to maxed out, with high-dollar moves like signing Bregman or trading for Arenado likely to require a greenlight from ownership. While it’s unclear exactly how much wiggle room Houston’s front office has, it appeared telling that GM Dana Brown indicated earlier this month that he sees an external addition of note as unlikely. With limited options still available and a seemingly limited budget to work with, perhaps the Astros will simply enter the season with their current roster unless a veteran opting out of a minor league deal or a player placed on the waiver wire in the run-up to Opening Day creates an opportunity.
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