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The Houston Astros have a few weeks of spring training under their belts and some things are becoming clear. The departures of Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker make this year's team look quite different than it has in years past. But a player Houston acquired in the Tucker trade,Cam Smith, looks like a bad man. The Astros Opening Day roster is also coming into focus.
So far, there haven't been any earth-shattering developments with the Astros' position player group with the exception of Jose Altuve's new spot in left field. The downstream effects of that move, as well as some developments elsewhere, necessitate a change from our first attempt to project the 2025 Astros' Opening Day roster.
Astros 2025 Opening Day roster projection 2.0: Jose Altuve's switch causes shake-up
A lot can change between now and Opening Day. An injury here and an underperformance there could drastically alter things, but let's take a look at a snapshot of where the Astros Opening Day roster stands at the moment.
Astros Opening Day Position Players
- Catcher: Yainer Diaz, Victor Caratini
- First Base: Christian Walker
- Second Base: Mauricio Dubon
- Shortstop: Jeremy Peña
- Third Base: Isaac Paredes
- Outfield: Jose Altuve, Jake Meyers, Chas McCormick, Ben Gamel
- Designated Hitter: Yordan Alvarez
- Bench: Brendan Rodgers, Jon Singleton
Obviously the biggest change is Altuve going to the outfield. There was some skepticism that the move would be made so decisively to start the season, but here we are. That would mean that Dubón would get the lion's share of playing time at second base and the newly acquired Brendan Rodgers likely ends up with a bench spot.
Gamel remains the fourth outfielder in this alignment. Taylor Trammell was a realistic contender for a earlier this spring, but hurt his calf and is going to be out for a bit as a result.
Astros' Opening Day Rotation
- Framber Valdez, LHP
- Hunter Brown, RHP
- Ronel Blanco, RHP
- Spencer Arrighetti, RHP
- Hayden Wesneski, RHP
No changes here since our first pass. Both Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. are still unlikely to be available on Opening Day. The only changes that could occur before Opening Day might involve Spencer Arrighetti and Hayden Wesneski, but both players have pitched well so far and have the inside track for the final two spots in the Astros starting rotation.
Astros' Opening Day Bullpen
- Josh Hader, LHP (closer)
- Bryan Abreu, RHP
- Forrest Whitley, RHP
- Rafael Montero, RHP
- Tayler Scott, RHP
- Steven Okert, LHP
- Bryan King, LHP
- Logan VanWey, RHP
This is where fans have seen the most movement this spring, and it's understandable given how volatile relievers can be. Miguel Ullola has not looked good early in camp and probably needs more time in the minor leagues. Both Kaleb Ort and Shawn Dubin are dealing with injuries.
Steven Okert gets the nod for now, and that will give the Astros another lefty option out of the bullpen. Logan VanWey, who is getting a surprising amount of chatter during spring training, snags the last spot (for now) as a pitcher that can be used in a variety of situations.