Astros' first spring training lineup offers even more reason to trade Isaac Paredes

For much of the offseason, Houston Astros fans have been eagerly waiting to see which player(s) the would end up being traded. Given the Astros' tight payroll and increasingly crowded roster, a number of deals make sense for Houston.

Jake Meyers was a hot name for a little while, and at this point, it feels like the Astros would be willing to give Christian Walker away. But the name that seems to have the most actual traction on the trade market has been Isaac Paredes.

Paredes is the perfect storm of a trade chip. He comes with reasonably-priced contract beyond 2026, is a versatile defender, produces at the plate, and should garner a nice return while trimming over $9 million from their 2026 payroll. The Astros have been hesitant to move him, although they shouldn't be.

The Astros have more capable players than available roster spots at the moment, especially in the infield. That fact was on display with the Astros' first spring training lineup that features several names who could be in line for playing time if Houston does end up shipping Paredes (or another infielder) out of town.

Astros post first spring training lineup is out, and it shows why Isaac Paredes should be traded

What this lineup tells fans is that Houston has a lot of options at all of the positions that Paredes plays. Brice Matthews has been pushing for a more permanent call-up to the majors and could probably play all three of the non-first base positions. Zach Dezenzo and Shay Whitcomb can also play multiple infield positions, as well and the Astros traded for Nick Allen to be a super utilityman off the bench. The only reason Cam Smith was pushed to right field, where he has definitely excelled, was because of the team's depth at third base.

Once you look at all of that depth, plus roster locks like Jose Altuve, Jeremy Peña, and Carlos Correa, it is really easy to understand why the Astros have been so interested in trading Paredes. Teams don't usually have so much depth that they can readily move a talent like Paredes, and it's unclear as to whether or not Houston actually wants to take advantage of the opportunity.