The Astros have appeared to have plenty of players all winter but general manager Dana Brown has been downplaying the possibility of a trade, and he did so again this week. Privately, the club may not be sure of holding everyone. Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports that some people on the team are questioning whether it’s possible to carry everyone on the roster and that a trade is becoming more realistic.
Last year, the Astros had it Isaac Paredes on third base again Christian Walker in the beginning, at least in the first half of the season. Paredes suffered a strained hamstring in July, prompting the Astros to acquire him Carlos Correa at Mawele’s. By 2026, they plan to be Jeremy Peña in a short space, Jose Altuve at second base, Correa at third and then Walker or Paredes at first.
Putting Paredes in the starting spot and using Altuve in the outfield is often seen as less than ideal. Altuve was terrible in the outfield last year. Paredes hasn’t played second base since 2023 and there are doubts about how he would perform if he is brought back there again, although the Astros will ask him to take a test there in camp.
So most of the rumors involved the Astros trading Walker or Paredes and having another first baseman. Walker is coming off a down year and is owed $20MM annually for the next two years, making him difficult to trade, especially as he is about to turn 35. Paredes will have value but his low salary is attractive to an Astros club looking to loosen up under the luxury tax. He will make $9.35MM this year, less than half of Walker. He will get a bump in 2027 but will still be less than Walker’s $20MM salary.
If the trade doesn’t come together, manager Joe Espada will be left to get everyone playing time by distributing rest days around the team. Using the batting position will be a challenge because the club wants to have it Jordan Alvarez where as often as possible. Although Brown has shot down these rumors time and time again, there is still time for a trade to come together.
Rome also notes that the Astros plan to offer Cam Smith others representing center field in spring training. Smith came up as a third baseman but the Astros moved him to right field last year for a better playing style. He got major league work and showed promise but his .236/.312/.358 batting line was underwhelming.
The bar for passing offense is a little lower in center field, where teams often prioritize defense. Smith excelled in right field last year, earning credit for 12 Defensive Runs Saved and one Outs Above Average. His sprint speed was ranked in the 95th percentile last year, so he should have mid-range tires. The Astros considered some field time for Smith last year but he didn’t get any game time there.
If Smith can break it down, that could open up a few opportunities for the club. They’ve been looking to add a left-handed bat to the lineup and maybe add someone to right field. They have it Jesus Sánchez roster but struggled late last year and has been in some trade rumors. A middle player Jake Meyers He has also been in trade rumors and perhaps the club would feel more comfortable pulling the trigger there if Smith could be seen working in the midfield.
When it turned to the pitching staff, Espada noted this week that Lance McCullers Jr. will be developed in camp, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. McCullers was the starter for most of last year but was moved to the bullpen in August. The injury caused him to miss the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He returned to the mound last year but his velocity was low and he posted a 6.51 earned run average on the year.
Whether he can turn things around and get back on track is anyone’s guess. He will again be ruled out of his long injury odyssey but the results in 2025 have not been encouraging. The Astros could have a six-man rotation for the right amount in 2026. McCullers projects will be there Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, Tatsuya Imai, Mike Burrows again Ryan Weissand the same boys Nate Pearson, Spencer Arrighetti, AJ Blubaugh, Miguel Ullola, Jason Alexander, Colton Gordon again Kai-Wei Teng and in the list. Over the course of the season, Ronel Blanco, Hayden Wesneski again Brandon Walter he will attempt to return from Tommy John surgery in 2025. McCullers is going into the final season of the extension he signed in 2021 and will be paid $17MM this year.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images
