The MLB offseason is all the time overflowing with rumors and concepts, main nationwide voices saying the place gamers may signal or who could possibly be traded. It makes for plenty of enjoyable in the winter retaining the sizzling range burning.
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In retaining with this custom, listed here are 5 daring strikes the Astros may make this offseason that may change the roster and (not less than theoretically) make the crew higher in 2026.
Trade Christian Walker to the New York Mets in alternate for SP Kodai Senga.
In an alternate of gamers who might not essentially be wished by their present groups however fill a big want for the proposed new one, Walker would exchange Pete Alonso at 1B and provides the Mets a stable energy presence and considerably improve their protection. Mets GM David Stearns mentioned earlier this yr “run prevention” was his theme for the offseason.
Senga, in the meantime, is the odd man out in Flushing for a crew with an inflow of younger starters able to ascend to the majors (in the event that they don’t get traded for Tarik Skubal) and is at the moment seventh in the rotation.
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Walker has 2 years and $40M remaining on his contract. Senga has 2 years and $30M remaining on his cope with a conditional choice in 2028 for $15M.
Trade Isaac Paredes to the Boston Red Sox for SP Connelly Early and SP Luis Perales.
I do know that is going to harm plenty of Astros followers who love Paredes (as do I), however the truth is Paredes worth is the highest it should ever be, he’s coming off a big damage, and the finest time to commerce him is now. Paredes excessive worth will assist Astros fill a determined want, which is beginning pitching.
Early is a 23 yr previous LHP who obtained his first style of the majors in 2025 and had success, going 1-2 1ith 2.33 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 4 begins masking 19.1 IP whereas placing out 29. His ceiling shouldn’t be as excessive as fellow Sox prospect Payton Tolle, however he might have the next flooring. Being a lefty can be a plus for Houston, as they at the moment sport a really righthanded rotation. (Colton Gordon is the solely LHP on the 40 man that isn’t injured and has beginning expertise.) Early is MLB prepared.
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Perales, 22, is coming off Tommy John surgical procedure. He has an enormous time fastball that repeatedly sits 95-98, a high-80s splitter, a low-80s sweeper and a high-80s cutter. His ceiling might be #2 starter, and flooring could also be nearer. He lately lowered his stroll charge considerably as effectively. He has plenty of upside with some low-to-moderate danger.
Trade CF Jake Meyers, 2B Brice Matthews and SP Spencer Arrighetti to the Kansas City Royals for SP Cole Ragans.
Meyers loved a breakout offensive marketing campaign final yr at the expense of any energy in any respect, and stays an elite defensive participant. Meyers worth, like Paredes, has by no means and can by no means be increased, so that is the Astros time to deal him, particularly with a handful of younger gamers (Zach Cole, Jacob Melton) on the verge of being prepared for the majors.
Chances are doubtless that Meyers will expertise a regression to the imply, even when not all the approach again to his earlier poor offensive numbers. While he has 2 years of crew management remaining, there’s positively some danger related to any crew buying him.
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Matthews is the Astros prime prospect and solely prospect in the Top-100. He can be blocked at 2B by Jose Altuve and can be till not less than 2029 (when the potential of Yordan Alvarez being allowed to stroll in free company permits Altuve to DH). Matthews has potential, however his hit software could also be the weakest of these in his bag. He has a pointy eye, however racks up plenty of swing-and-miss at pitches in the zone.
Arrighetti is coming off one thing of a misplaced season after fracturing his thumb in a freak accident in Seattle in early April. When he returned, he regarded nothing like the pitcher who confirmed a lot promise as he developed the season earlier than. Arrighetti didn’t miss bats in 2025 (7.9 Ok/9) practically in addition to he had in 2024. His stroll charge, already a excessive 4.0 BB/9 in 2024, expanded to five.1 BB/9 in 2025. While there’s definitely upside there (evidenced by robust 10.6 Ok/9 in 2024), it doesn’t look like close to Ragans. He has 4 years of crew management remaining.
Ragans is 28, and a yr faraway from ending 4th in the AL Cy Young award voting. Ragans has seen important velocity improve since altering his exercise routine following the 2022 season. His fastball velocity elevated from 92 M.P.H to 96.5 in a single offseason, and his strikeout totals and charges have exploded.
After placing out 223 batters in 2024, Ragans missed half of 2025 with a rotator cuff pressure. He did return in September and completed the season with an unbelievable Ok/9 charge of 14.3 over 13 begins.
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Ragans has 3 years crew management remaining.
Sign Alex Bregman to play 1B.
There is one thing to the concept of “getting the band back together” with this, however Bregman finds himself in an fascinating place. His market shouldn’t be as sturdy appropriately not as a result of he didn’t play effectively, however as a result of most of the large spending groups aren’t spending like they beforehand have.
Part of that is because of the truth these groups have already got a number of giant contracts and don’t wish to be mega-tax payers. Part of it is because of the incontrovertible fact that these groups have urgent wants at different positions.
Bregman may discover himself being pushed right into a shorter time period deal, which everyone knows he doesn’t need. Enter the Astros.
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Houston may provide him the very same deal they did a yr in the past, and as a substitute of being beneath market, it might be precisely what Alex desires – 5 years and $150M and enjoying with the crew the place he noticed the most success.
A management crew of Bregman and Correa can be improbable for the quantity of recent and younger gamers the Astros are more likely to have in 2026, and Bregman would doubtless be an elite defensive first baseman because it has usually been a straightforward transition for 3B to make to 1B (see: Gurriel, Yuli). The Astros would have one in every of the finest offensive infields in the sport, and if any of their younger outfielders pan out, may have a surprisingly good offense in 2026.
Bregman’s method at the plate would even be precisely what the crew is trying for: excessive common, excessive on-base, energy, pitch selectiveness.
Trade CF Jacob Melton, SS Xavier Neyens and SP Anderson Brito to the Cleveland Guardians for LF Steven Kwan.
There must be an enormous fish to commerce plenty of your prime prospects in a single deal for, and Kwan is that fish for the Astros.
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Kwan is a 4x Gold Glover, 2x All-Star and has two years remaining of crew management. He doesn’t strike out a lot, he hits for a stable common and has an honest OBP. He has the velocity to steal bases, he hits left handed. He is precisely the type of participant that the Astros need of their lineup. All hustle, no grief.
The cheapo Guardians are all the time trying to flip an asset into a number of younger gamers who could possibly be a number of property, as a result of regardless of being owned by the very rich Dolan household (Paul Dolan runs the crew, son of Larry Dolan, who handed away February 2025).
While it might be lots to surrender from the Astros system, larger image says none of these gamers are top-100 prospects and the one with the finest upside are Neyens (19) and Brito (21), neither of whom can be prepared for the majors for a number of seasons, presuming they each pan out.
This would go away the Astros with a lineup that might look one thing like this:
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SS- Jeremy Pena
DH- Yordan Alvarez
1B – Alex Bregman
3B – Carlos Correa
2B – Jose Altuve
LF – Steven Kwan
C – Yainer Diaz
CF- Zach Cole
RF- Cam Smith
That’s a reasonably rattling good lineup, and it might additionally play some severe protection. When the Astros have been at their finest final season, they have been constructed on run prevention – pitching and protection.
The Starting Rotation would look one thing like this:
With a bullpen that proper now would include:
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Bennett Sousa (increased leverage)
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Nate Pearson – multi inning/swingman
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Jason Alexander – multi-inning/swingman
Bold strikes for a daring season forward. Here is to a enjoyable offseason!