Bleacher Report’s prediction for Astros’ outfield signing might be crazy enough to work

This offseason has been quite the whirlwind for Astros fans. The team has seen a pair of core players from recent World Series championships leave as Kyle Tucker was sent to the Cubs in a surprising blockbuster move while Alex Bregman has priced himself out of Houston.

Even though those two have been replaced by Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker, it seems that Houston is still lacking an impact bat in the outfield. Tucker was one of the best hitters in the game and with him gone, Houston will need to find a way to replace some part of his production.

Bleacher Report predicts that Alex Verdugo could solve the Houston Astros outfielder vacancy

Replacing Kyle Tucker with Alex Verdugo might not sound all that inspiring, and in reality, Verdugo shouldn't be expected to provide nearly the same numbers that Tucker did. However, Verdugo has been a pretty solid bat over his career and in a loaded Astros lineup, he should feel a little less pressure and provide some solid numbers.

In the years that Verdugo has been able to play 100+ games (2019, 2021-2024) he has been just slightly above average. His 2024 numbers were pretty in line with his career norms outside of his slash line. His 2024 line of .233/.291/.356 falls short of his .272/.328/.414 line that give the impression of a above overage hitter.

Verdugo has never topped 13 home runs. He doesn't provide excellent defense. He is pretty "mid" across the board. So, why should he inspire some confidence for Astros fans? It's because, as a former top prospect, we haven't seen him truly unlock everything he is capable of.

While Verdugo will never be a plus defender, in Houston, you don't really need him to. If Verdugo can match, and potentially even beat his power numbers, even just career averages across the rest of the board will give Houston a serviceable corner outfielder. Maybe there is hope that Verdugo can finally approach the 20-home run plateau while maintaining his career slash line, something that would prove extremely valuable to the Astros.

Verdugo shouldn't come overly expensive, especially considering he is coming off of his worst year since he debuted in 2017. He comes with a lot of pedigree and maybe entering his age-29 season, he will feel the pressure to really produce and enter free agency on a high note, hoping to secure a nice contract.

No matter what Houston does, Verdugo would be a solid addition to this outfield group. He fits what the team needs: a left-handed corner outfielder with some serious upside. His recent production might scare off a lot of fans, but Verdugo's addition, and upside, might just be so crazy...it's genius.