Astros hint at Hunter Brown and Jeremy Pena deals but fans have every reason to worry

The Houston Astros have a starting pitcher trending toward, if not already, being recognized as one of the best in baseball. Likewise, the Astros have a position player trending toward being the most coveted free agent available when he hits the market in a couple of years. We've seen how these acts play out.

Hunter Brown and Jeremy Peña should be at the center of Houston's next contending core, and signing each to a long-term contract extension is a stated priority for Dana Brown and Co.

In a longer review of how the Astros suggest that their title window never closes, Brown told The Athletic's Chandler Rome that the team is working on extensions for both Peña and Hunter Brown.

“Peña and (Hunter) Brown are two big targets for us right now,” Dana Brown said. “You got the pitcher and you got the position player and those are our two pillars for the future. I think if you can get those guys extended, those are wins. We’re going to have some conversations with them, for sure, but it’s a goal to have those guys sign extensions here.”

Dana Brown has a hopeful (if not unrealistic) idea for Astros' next move

The painful reality is that the Astros might have already missed their window with Peña, who is a free agent after the 2027 season. Houston was reportedly nearing an extension with the 28-year-old last July before there was a switch in representation to Scott Boras.

Boras will certainly say that he is open to negotiating with the Astros, but fans have seen how this story plays out. A player becomes a homegrown superstar, elects Boras to represent them, and then leaves in free agency when the Astros don't have the highest bid. *cough, cough* Alex Bregman sure seems happy with the Chicago Cubs. Short of the Astros having a dramatic shift in how they conduct business, Peña will likely have a similar outcome.

The Astros have a little more time on their side with Brown, who is under team control through the 2028 season. The bad news is that, like Peña, Brown is represented by Boras. Even more concerning is the nightmare situation that was Tarik Skubal's arbitration with the Detroit Tigers this offseason will be the Astros' reality in a couple of years.

It's good to have goals, and no one would fault the Astros for saying that extensions for Brown and Peña are the top priority. It's good baseball business. The problem is the Astros rarely follow through with those plans, and that speaks to the larger issue facing them in 2026.