2 buy-low candidates Astros can sign for a 1-year deal

Andrelton Simmons’ defense could be a stopgap option for the Astros, if Correa signs elsewhere.

The Astros plan moving forward is not set in stone, so the addition of a veteran shortstop is an option worth consideration. Andrelton Simmons is a name still on the market, while at 32-years-old, a major-league deal is still an option.

Simmons shouldn’t receive much more than a one-year deal this offseason, as his offense continues to decline. The right-hander’s 2021 OPS (.557) reached a career-low with the Minnesota Twins, but his glove is what displays more value.

The four-time Gold Glove winner won’t replace what would be lost in Correa, but he helps bridge the gap to Jeremy Pena if that’s the Astros plan in 2022. Pena only has 30 Triple-A games to his name, and if the organization wants to see more in Sugar Land, then Simmons and Aledmys Diaz can pass the torch for when Pena is ready.

The Astros are contenders for the 2022 season, and if Pena is the answer, then it would behoove the franchise to make quick strides and acclimate him at the major-league level.