Astros: Where to Next for Colby Rasmus and Luis Valbuena?

Astros fans should be excited due to the recent signings, but  unfortunately, there is only room for 25 players on the roster

Two key pieces in the magical 2015 Postseason run for the Astros were Colby Rasmus and Luis Valbuena. Both will be remembered for their surplus of power but the lack of consistency. The Astros resigned neither of them this offseason, so they will each be searching for new homes for the 2017 season.

Because of their power-hitting capabilities, each would fit well on a team lacking power in the outfield (Rasmus) or a corner infield spot (Valbuena). Rasmus seems to have more appeal to a World Series contender simply because he has more experience and proven postseason success. Despite this, Valbuena will definitely draw interest from some teams. Rasmus is also an excellent fielder.

Where will Colby Rasmus go?

Rumors say that Rasmus could go to the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles’ projected left fielder for this season is Hyun Soo Kim, who debuted on April 10 of last season. Kim played well in his limited playing time last season but is still not fully proven yet.

The Orioles made the Wild Card last season and are in a “win now” mindset. Rasmus is 30-years-old and is apparently looking to win now.  He would rather play for a contender, like the Orioles, than a team that is rebuilding. Rasmus also fits in with their style of the game; the Orioles led the league in home runs in 2016.

More from Climbing Tal's Hill

• Just how much better is the Houston Astros playoff rotation than the rest?
• Houston Astros: A Lineup Change to Spark Offense
• Astros prospect Hunter Brown throws 6 shutout innings in debut
• Always faithful Astros World Series champion Josh Reddick defends the title
• Michael Conforto declines Astros’ 2-year, $30 million offer

What about Valbuena?

Valbuena is in a similar, but different, situation to Rasmus. Like Rasmus, Valbuena is older (31) and would rather go straight to a contender than a team in rebuilding mode. However, Valbuena is not as well known and probably has a much thinner market than Rasmus. The New York Yankees have shown interest in Valbuena, but there are complications. Valbuena wants to play every day, even if it means playing different positions.

Astros fans saw his versatility last year as well as two years ago as he took over sometimes at first base. The Yankees have a crowded infield and Valbuena probably would not start for them every day. If this were the case, the Yankees would most likely not be willing to pay the price for Valbuena. Still, the 2016-17 Offseason is young. Maybe the Yankees review Valbuena a bit more and get a change of heart.

Next: Astros: 16 positives from the year of 2016

Despite Rasmus and Valbuena no longer being with the team, they will still leave as fan favorites with no ill will from the fans or the team.

***Stats are courtesy of Baseball-Reference***