What should the Houston Astros ask Santa for?

With the holiday season upon us, what should the Houston Astros ask Santa for? Here are a few things we would ask for.

The Houston Astros were a playoff team in 2020, but they were far from perfect. After a year of postseason success, they deserve a star under the tree instead of on top of it. Here is the Astros’ Christmas List and reasons why they need each gift:

Closer

The ’20 bullpen was one of the youngest in all of baseball. With so many rookies, the team is in need of a veteran closer, and there are three guys that the Astros will be well off with: either Liam Hendriks, Blake Treinen, or Brad Hand. In recent weeks, the Astros have let it be known they like Hendriks, and out of the three provided, he is the best of the bunch. With Roberto Osuna gone, the Astros are actively searching for an elite closer to take his place while moving Ryan Pressley to the set-up role. Hendriks adds a veteran, elite arm to a bullpen that has lacked efficiency in recent years, and that is why they should ask for him this Holiday Season.

Outfield Help!

There is always that one gift that seems too outrageous, but you still do not want to give up hope on. That gift is George Springer. Any news about Springer brings in hundreds of thousands of eyes as he is a gift to the whole city of Houston, but the chances of him returning are slim to none. So, the Astros should ask for the return of Michael Brantley. As a top three batter for the Astros in 2020, Brantley has the skill, poise and mindset to be an elite player as he ages. He will be 34 next season, but numbers such as .300/.364/.476 prove that he is still a diligent hitter with an injury prone body. Brantley will need to stay healthy and a quick two-year deal will help evaluate his future once more. The last player to ask for is Jackie Bradley Jr. As one of the most talented defense-first center fielders on the market, JBJ picked up a hot bat this past season. You can only hope he can keep .283/.364/.450 for next season. While he is no Springer, you can settle for a small downgrade and pickup hitting numbers in other players.

Catching Depth

This might be one of those smaller gifts, but the Astros can’t put all the weight on Martin Maldonado’s shoulders in 2021. With the lack of production from now free agent Dustin Garneau and current backup Garrett Stubbs, the Astros could explore an old friend, Jason Castro. Many fans might have mixed feelings about the former Astro, but he will add offensive help to one of the best defense catchers in the league in Maldonado. With elite catchers of JT Realmuto and Wilson Contreras being in talks of moving, the Astros would have to sacrifice a lot of other gifts for a big one like that. So, Castro will be the best option to help out behind the plate, splitting time with the Maldonado.

Stocking Stuffers

These smaller items will impact the 2021 season although they might not seem that way. The Astros are in need of another arm in their rotation, and the best fit would have to be Chris Archer. The former Tampa Bay Rays ace struggled in Pittsburgh, but this has been a reoccurrence in recent years with Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton in their final year with the Pirates. The mastermind of bringing pitchers back to life is Brent Strom, and he could do the same thing he has done before but now with Archer. The last thing the Astros can ask for is a healthy season. In 2020, Houston lost Justin Verlander, Roberto Osuna, and Yordan Alvarez, while also losing Joe Smith to an opt-out. Additionally, many of the starters fell to the IL throughout the short season. These players came up big during their World Series push in 2019, but with another contending season, it is key for the core to stay healthy.