Astros Winter Meetings 2024: Everything fans need to know about annual event

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown
Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Major League Baseball regular season has its moments, and there's nothing like the feeling of watching your team take the field during the month of October. But, if you want real drama, then the MLB Winter Meetings are for you.

Every December, baseball's top executives and agents, as well as a handful of players, find a cushy hotel in a warm-weather city and meet to hash out free agent deals, blockbuster trades, and lay the groundwork for key offseason acquisitions.

Astros Winter Meetings 2024: Everything fans need to know about annual event

MLB Winter Meetings 2024 location

This year, Houston Astros General Manager Dana Brown and his staff will head to the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas for the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings. Last year's event was held in San Diego, but Brown's flight will be much shorter this go-around.

MLB Winter Meetings 2024 dates and schedule

The 2024 MLB Winter Meetings technically begin on Monday, Dec. 9, though nearly every baseball executive will descend on Big D this Sunday. The event itself lasts for four days, wrapping up on Thursday, Dec. 12.

Among the biggest events at the MLB Winter Meetings are the Draft Lottery and the Rule 5 Draft. The Astros, after making the playoffs last season, will not be part of the Draft Lottery, but the club definitely has reason to be interested in the Rule 5 Draft.

Any player in the Astros' organization with more than four (and sometimes five) years of professional experience who isn't on the team's 40-man roster could be exposed to the Rule 5 Draft. It's a preventative measure set forth to keep teams from stockpiling young talent.

On the flip side, the Astros have the ability to select players in the Rule 5 Draft that other organizations failed to protect, but with 39 roster spots spoken for, Houston can only add one player without making a corresponding move.

How can I watch the MLB Winter Meetings 2024?

Unfortunately, you can't. The MLB Winter Meetings are not televised, and with good reason. While there are sure to be a handful of press conferences and other interviews, the meetings themselves mostly consist of private negotiations.

However, the MLB Draft Lottery is televised. For those interested — even though the Astros can't get the No. 1 overall pick — you can tune into MLB Network at 4:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Dec. 10.The event will also be streamed on MLB.com.

While the MLB Winter Meetings can provide excitement and intrigue, all Astros fans want to know is when Alex Bregman is coming back. Hopefully, the Houston faithful will have that answer before the meetings wrap up on Thursday.

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