CBS Sports prediction reveals just how desperate Astros might be

The non-tender deadline is quickly approaching and the Houston Astros have some obvious and not-so-obvious roster decisions to make in the coming days. While players like Isaac Paredes and Hunter Brown will be tendered contracts before Friday's deadline, the outlook isn't as clear for a handful of players on the Astros roster.

The Astros' biggest decision will likely center around Jesús Sanchez. On one hand, Houston just acquired Sanchez from the Marlins at last year's trade deadline — giving up Ryan Gusto and a top prospect in the process. On the other hand, his performance after arriving in H-Town was somewhere in between horrendous and downright awful.

Sanchez is entering Year 2 of his arbitration window, and MLB Trade Rumors predicts he'll earn $6.5 million in 2026. That's a hefty sum considering he hit just .199/.269/.342 after joining the Astros midway through last season. R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports, however, believes Houston will pick up the tab and tender Sanchez a contract for 2026 despite his second-half struggles.

CBS Sports predicts the Astros will tender Jesús Sanchez a contract for the 2026 season

To be fair, Anderson referred to Houston's decision as a "coin flip" — which is probably a fair way to describe it. Houston has already jettisoned outfielders Chas McCormick and Pedro Leon this offseason, and the Jose Altuve in left field experiment didn't exactly yield positive results last season. Throw in the fact that Cam Smith may start his 2026 campaign in the minor leagues, and Anderson's assertion becomes a bit more realistic.

The lack of free agent options in the outfield doesn't really inspire a lot of confidence either. If the Astros were to cut Sanchez loose at the non-tender deadline, there's no guarantee they could find a suitable substitute, much less one who'd take less money. After Kyle Tucker, the list of available outfielders includes Harrison Bader, Mike Yastrzemski, and Rob Refsnyder. Not exactly a murder's row, is it?

GM Dana Brown and the Astros front office may have some drawn conversations ahead of Friday's deadline. If Houston decides to tender Sanchez a contract, it's likely a sign they expect him to bounce back in 2026, but it could also signal the team's inability to spend freely this offseason.