Astros staying quiet as other teams dominate Winter Meetings rumor mill

While former Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker will be at the center of most conversations taking place at the Winter Meetings this week, heck, even Alex Bregman, too, the Astros themselves likely won't be among the newsmakers.

The Astros have already set the impression this offseason that any move they make will need to be viewed through a cost-cutting lens. In other words, while Dylan Cease, on paper, was a viable option to replace Framber Valdez in Houston's starting rotation, given their payroll situation, Ryan Weiss was the realistic option.

Weiss' signing likely doesn't preclude the Astros from adding a more established option to their pitching staff, but a reunion with Justin Verlander feels far more likely than Dana Brown being given the authorization to spend at the top of the market.

Ideally, the Astros would be able to trade for a cost-controlled starting pitcher, considering the number of options potentially available. Freddy Peralta of the Milwaukee Brewers, MacKenzie Gore of the Washington Nationals, and Edward Cabrera of the Miami Marlins would all fit within Houston's 2026 payroll outlook, but they may not have the prospect capital to make such a deal.

The Winter Meetings are getting underway, and for the Astros, the talk is about who they might trade

If the Astros do make news this week, it will likely be tied to who they are trading off their roster. Center fielder Jake Meyers has been at the center of trade rumors in recent weeks, with the idea being that Houston could sell high on the young outfielder and include him in a trade to address their need for pitching. The Philadelphia Phillies have been heavily connected to Meyers of late, and have a handful of pitching prospects that could appeal in a potential trade.

Honestly, a win for the Astros will be if they resolve their infield logjam. Aging first baseman Christian Walker is a clear trade candidate, but carrying a $20 million AAV in each of the next two seasons while also having a limited no-trade clause. Alternatively, trading Isaac Paredes could be in play this offseason, but teams may need to see him healthy first.

There is bound to be news across Major League Baseball this week, but the Astros likely will be lying in the background, watching the fun from afar.