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Astros' new GM immediately inherits difficult decisions about Houston's future

Welcome, now, no time to lose.
ByJordan Campbell
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Sep 30, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) runs the bases after hitting a single against the Chicago White Sox in the fifth inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Sep 30, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) runs the bases after hitting a single against the Chicago White Sox in the fifth inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The assumption was that the Houston Astros are going to have a new general within the next week, and the latest word was that its likely to be Matt Kleine, before the surprise news on Friday evening that they were going with Cardinals exec Randy Flores. The Astros did well to act as quickly as they did, considering free agency opens on Monday night. Important decisions loom, and overall, whoever got Houston's top front office job had their work cut out for them under the best of circumstances.

The overarching storyline for the Astros over the past year has been the futures of Jeremy Peña, Isaac Paredes, and Christian Walker. In Peña's case, it's essentially a sequel to the Kyle Tucker decision, considering he's a free agent after the 2027 season. A season that figures to be shortened in some length due to the looming lockout.

Both Walker and Paredes are also free agents next offseason, but for them, it brings back the question that defined the Astros' offseason last year. The Astros had an infield logjam, and it took a Carlos Correa season-ending injury in May to discover a solution. With Correa expected to be ready in time for the start of the 2027 season, the Astros are back at square one with this problem.

Astros' next GM faces an immediate dilemma about Houston's future

Along those lines, it's no real surprise that MLB Trade Rumors has Peña, Walker, and Paredes within the Top 20 of their list of trade candidates this offseason. It's very much the Leonardo DiCaprio meme, considering this is the same destination we thought we reached last offseason.

Whether it was Kleine, Mike Rizzo, or someone else, a decision must be made this offseason. For better or worse last offseason, Dana Brown chose the status quo last winter and it cost him his job. Perhaps it was tied to Jim Crane's desire to always have the Astros in contention, but the stuck-in-the-mud nature of Houston's 2026 is something that doesn't need to happen again.

A decision has to be made. Beyond that, it feels like a reset is needed for the Astros. They were one-and-done in the playoffs this year, not making it past the Chicago White Sox in the Wild Card series. That should have been the writing on the wall for the Astros. A reset is needed, and as it pertains to the decisions surrounding their three trade candidates, this should be the offseason that Flores is bold and actually shops what can be moved on this roster.

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