Checking in on the Astros’ free agents and where they have signed so far

Now that the Winter Meetings are in the rearview mirror, the offseason has slowed down considerably. Part of that is that most of the top names left on the market have qualifying offers attached and/or are Scott Boras clients, but there are a number of teams that have sat out most of the offseason, and that definitely includes the Houston Astros.

Now, the Astros haven't been completely quiet. Nick Allen is replacing Mauricio Dubon after a one-for-one swap with the Braves, and Houston did sign Ryan Weiss to beef up the pitching staff. However, those moves don't even replace what the Astros are poised to lose in free agency. With that in mind, let's take a look at those free agents and how the offseason has treated them.

Here is what has been going on with the Astros players who hit free agency

Now, this is a snapshot in time, and we aren't going over every single minor league free agent here. However, even with those restrictions, the Astros have a number of interesting players that hit the market this offseason, and so far, it has not treated them kindly.

Framber Valdez

Valdez is still considered to be the best available free agent pitcher, but his market has moved very slowly thus far. The Mets, Giants, and Orioles have all previously been connected to Valdez, but there has been little in the way of chatter about him, which suggests that no negotiations are close at the moment. Valdez will get paid by someone, but the qualifying offer could mean his new deal will have to wait until the new year.

Craig Kimbrel

If there is any justice in the world, Kimbrel will one day find himself with a plaque in Cooperstown, as he has been one of the defining relievers of his generation. However, he hasn't been anywhere close to his peak in a long time. It sounds like Kimbrel wants to keep playing in 2026, but may have to wait until late in the offseason to find a team willing to give him a MLB deal.

Brendan Rodgers

The Astros added Rodgers in the hope that he would give Houston some true infield depth in the event of injuries. Well, those injuries did come, but Rodgers himself was the victim of some of them, and he was essentially a non-factor with the Astros. Unsurprisingly, teams haven't been lining up to give Rodgers a shot, although it is likely he will at least get a non-roster deal with a spring training invite from someone just because of his prospect pedigree.

Victor Caratini

Other than Valdez, who is in a tier above, Caratini is the biggest potential loss in free agency for the Astros. He was a key back-up to Yainer Diaz, who is anything but a sure thing, and he filled in ably at first base and DH as well. The Astros would like him back as a backup, but they would want to pay him like one, whereas other clubs are targeting him as a starting catcher. He doesn't have a deal elsewhere yet, but that could change at any moment as he is the sort of player that could still be before the holidays, even in this now-slow market.

Ramon Urias

Well, Urias WAS redundant on the Astros' roster with Mauricio Dubon around, but that ship has sailed, and now Houston is without either player. Still, Allen fills a similar niche and clearly out the infield glut could allow Houston to give some young guys a chance to carve out a role. Again, he is too versatile and cheap to stay unemployed, but he might have to wait a bit for his next deal.