Astros send Mauricio Dubón to Braves in first sign of cost-cutting creativity

With the non-tender deadline on Friday night, there seemed to be momentum building toward the Houston Astros trading versatile infielder Mauricio Dubón. A two-time Gold Glove winner for his role as a utility man, Dubón's versatility made him a key piece on Houston's roster, but with an expected raise this offseason, he was also a clear trade candidate. Hours after their interest in Dubón was first reported, the Atlanta Braves have acquired the 31-year-old utility man.

The Astros will be taking shortstop Nick Allen in the deal. Like Dubón, Allen is a glove-first position player and offers the capability of playing both shortstop and second base. In 416 plate appearances in his only season in Atlanta, Allen slashed .221/.284/.251 with a wRC+ of 53.

Entering his first season of arbitration, the initial assumption is that Allen will serve as the primary backup to Jeremy Peña at shortstop. Infield defense was a weakness for the Astros last season, so at the very least, the 27-year-old former Athletics' third-round pick should help on that front.

Astros take one step closer to clearing payroll in trading Mauricio Dubón to the Atlanta Braves.

The books were already looking tight for the Astros heading into the offseason, having less than $20MM in space before the first level of the CBT. Dubón was projected to make just under $6MM in 2026, so if nothing else, the trade with the Braves was a cost-cutting measure.

Considering the Astros designated Ramon Urias for assignment earlier this week, it seemed like a curious move for Dubón to be on the trade block ahead of Friday's deadline. In a situation where the Astros were not financially strapped, chances are they would have opted to keep Dubón in his final year of control. Nonetheless, hard choices are needed from the Astros this offseason.

It would seem likely that a larger infield trade is looming for the Astros. Whether it's Isaac Paredes, who may not be ready for Opening Day, or Christian Walker, the Astros need to clear the logjam that was created by Carlos Correa's reunion at the trade deadline. If nothing else, the early weeks of the offseason have put the Astros' moves at the deadline in a very different light.

The moves ultimately created more headaches than solutions for the Astros, leading to the team needing to be creative with every step they take this winter.