Houston Astros Jose Altuve (27) celebrates his home run with Yordan Alvarez (44) a call that was umpire reviewed for possible fan interference but upheld during the third inning of an MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 in Houston.
3 moves Astros must make after playoff exit.
What can the Astros do to improve?
The Houston Astros are out of the playoffs before the ALCS for the first time since 2016. They were swept by the Detroit Tigers in the Wild Card Series, ending their incredible streak. Now, the Astros have a massive off-season ahead of them. How should Alex Bregman, Yusei Kikuchi, and Pete Alonso factor into their off-season?
The roster has been changing even through the success of the past decade. While Jose Altuve and Bregman are still around, Carlos Corre, George Springer, and Gerrit Cole are all out the door. The Astros’ front office has shown that they are not afraid to make a move and they certainly should make some this off-season.
Alex Bregman must stick around
Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) hits a sacrifice fly during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field.
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Astros made each of those moves looking to improve their team for another championship. They succeeded, winning the World Series in 2022 without Correa, Springer, or Cole. Their goal is the same now, but they need some veteran leadership to get that job done. They should retain third baseman Alex Bregman for exactly that reason.
It will not be cheap for the Astros to keep their future Hall of Famer. Matt Chapman just signed a six-year, $151 million contract, which could be used as a comparable for Bregman. Houston’s star has been a much better hitter over his career, sporting a better home run, RBI, OPS, and batting average total. Chapman has been the better defender, winning four Gold Gloves while Bregman does not have any.
This championship window was built on the greatness of Bregman and Altuve. Without them, the window would officially be closed. They have questions at first base and in the rotation, there is no reason to create another question at third base. With an all-time player having an opportunity to be a career Astro, they should open up the checkbook this winter.
Yusei Kikuchi should have a role in 2025
When the Astros traded for Yusei Kikuchi at the trade deadline, they expected him to be a solid depth starter. What he became was a bona fide ace who lost only one regular season game in Space City. While he is an older player, Houston should still keep him around for 2025 and beyond.
Justin Verlander is a very large question mark moving forward for the Astros. After a short trip to the Mets, Verlander is back in Houston and barely pitched down the stretch this year. They need a veteran arm to stabilize their young rotation and if Verlander’s career is over, it should be Kikuchi.
