Astros are one shrewd move away from dethroning Dodgers for MLB's best offseason

ByEric Cole|
Division Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v San Diego Padres - Game 3
Division Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v San Diego Padres - Game 3 | Harry How/GettyImages

While it has been a painful route to this point, one has to commend the Houston Astros for their work this offseason. The specter of Jose Abreu's contract at first base created some very obvious problems, but Houston still got a top bat in Christian Walker to help resolve some of those issues. Losing Kyle Tucker truly sucked, but the trade netted the Astros the versatile Isaac Paredes, plus one of the best young players in baseball in third base prospect Cam Smith.

Given how things looked at the start of the offseason, this is a pretty remarkable turnaround. Even without Alex Bregman, the Astros look like a force to be contended with heading into the 2025 season, and in some ways, they may actually be better than last year's group.

In fact, if the Astros make one more move, there is an argument to be made that they could be the true winners of the offseason — yes, even over the Los Angeles Dodgers). No, it isn't re-signing Bregman. Instead, the move that would put the Astros over the top this offseason is a trade for San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King.

Astros should address the starting rotation and trade for Padres pitcher Michael King

Yes, yes...Astros fans want Bregman back and we get it. He is a franchise icon and would make the team better. No arguments there. However, the offense already looks pretty stacked as is, he isn't a lefty bat which is really want Houston needs, and Bregman is going to be very expensive even if he settles for less than he was hoping.

However, the Astros' rotation heading into 2025 looks very problematic. A number of key arms are going to be on the shelf to start the season (at least) and both Yusei Kikuchi and Justin Verlander left in free agency. Framber Valdez is great and Hunter Brown could be great, but the certainty about the rest of the group drops off considerably after that.

In a lot of ways, King is the perfect trade target for Houston. He is only going to make $8.8 million at most in 2025, and that's only if he wins his arbitration hearing. Dylan Cease gets all the press as the top Padres pitcher in trades talks, but he is more expensive — both in terms of prospects and in cost — and there is zero chance that he would entertain an extension with Scott Boras as his agent.

Adding King wouldn't be trivial in terms of prospect cost, but Houston could probably swing it without putting themselves in a tough situation being that the right-hander is a free agent after the season. King would instantly give the Astros an arm in the rotation that limits hard contact and misses his fair share of bats without any sort of long-term financial commitment. Unlike Bregman who is more of a luxury in a lot of ways, King is exactly the kind of player the Astros need heading into next season.

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