Astros insider adds 2 more free agent fits to Houston's offseason docket

Despite supposedly working with some very real payroll constraints, the Houston Astros have found themselves firmly in the middle of much of the offseason rumor mill so far. While the biggest question remains whether or not they will be able to re-sign Alex Bregman, the Astros have also been connected to a lot of the better bats on the market other than Juan Soto, which just isn't going to happen.

A couple of available names have been mentioned consistently throughout the offseason so far. Christian Walker is a perfect fit for Houston on paper, but also is going to be pretty pricey, especially with the Bregman talks ongoing. There is also a nonzero, but diminishing, chance that Houston could figure out a way to bring back Yusei Kikuchi.

With the Winter Meetings a few weeks away, the list of options continues to grow.

According to Astros insider Brian McTaggart, Houston could target Carlos Santana and Jorge Polanco this offseason and, frankly, they both make a lot of sense under several scenarios.

Astros' potential interest in Carlos Santana and Jorge Polanco represent a nice backup plan this offseason

First, McTaggart did also mention some of the familiar names. Walker got a prominent mention as a tremendous first baseman on both sides of the ball who wouldn't require a long-term deal, and Kikuchi seems to have remained on the Astros' radar, albeit further down their list of priorities.

Santana's free agency has gotten a lot of helium lately after he won his first Gold Glove and posted a .749 OPS at 38 years old. He isn't the player he was in his prime (a consistent and patient 30-homer threat), but he can still impact the ball and draws a bunch of walks. It doesn't hurt that he also has experience at a bunch of positions, including catcher and the outfield, if an emergency were to arise.

Polanco had a down 2024 season as he dealt with a patellar tendon injury, but he is a highly regarded and versatile infielder who is patient at the plate and has some pop. He would certainly be a downgrade offensively over Bregman, but Polanco's ability to play all over the infield, combined with his moderate power, could represent a nice move, especially since Houston would be buying low on him.

Are Santana and Polanco the sexiest free agent targets? Absolutely not. However, the Astros aren't going to be able to have everything they want this offseason. Bregman could easily move on, and with Houston having other long-term contracts they may want to ink in the next year or two, exploring some stopgap solutions this offseason makes loads of sense.

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