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The Houston Astros' signing of Ryan Weiss, who spent last season in Korea, speaks to the reality facing Dana Brown this offseason. As unlikely as it may sound, Weiss could be the replacement for Framber Valdez in Houston's rotation, and is the unfortunate payroll situation Houston finds themselves in.
The Astros' payroll is anchored down by bloated contracts, and any move they make will likely be made with the goal of trimming their financial fat. It's not an ideal situation for the Astros to be in as the Winter Meetings have arrived, and it has the fans dreaming of what could've been.
Dream Astros roster for 2026 if Dana Brown wasn't handcuffed at the Winter Meetings
What if Brown wasn't handcuffed as he arrived in Florida for the tentpole event of baseball's offseason? Well, it would allow the Astros' general manager to construct a roster capable of taking back the AL West from the Seattle Mariners. Fortunately, until actual moves are made this week, we offer a safe space to dream.
Astros Starting Rotation (5)
- Keeping: Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, Spencer Arrighetti
- Adding: Freddy Peralta, Zac Gallen
- Cutting: Lance McCullers Jr.,Ryan Weiss
The good news is that even with Valdez leaving via free agency, the Astros already have an ace. Hunter Brown was a Cy Young Award finalist and will enter the 2026 season as the unquestioned leader of the pitching staff.
The issue is that the Astros are pretty thin behind Brown. Despite their injuries and struggles, Javier and Arrighetti continue to offer a high upside, and in a world where they round out the Astros' rotation, it wouldn't be the worst outcome.
Freddy Peralta is believed to be available this offseason, and making $8 million, he wouldn't be a Burden on Houston's payroll outlook. Dreams allow the opportunity to be greedy, and there is no doubt that the Astros can fix the former Arizona Diamondbacks' ace in Zac Gallen.
Astros Bullpen (8)
- Keeping: Josh Hader, Bryan King, Steven Okert, Bennett Sousa, Nate Pearson, Bryan Abreu
- Adding: Brad Keller, Pete Fairbanks
- Cutting: Kaleb Ort, Enyel De Los Santos
Figuring out the Astros' bullpen is actually quite easy. The Astros already have one of the strongest relief corps in baseball, and the return of a healthy Josh Hader will solve the biggest question mark they had during the final months of the 2025 campaign.
Still, the regular season tests pitching depth, and Brad Keller could be an under-the-radar arm for the bullpen. He turned into a success story for the Chicago Cubs' bullpen last season, and could be an ace in the hole for Houston. Admittedly, adding Pete Fairbanks would be a luxury move, but again, we're dreaming here.
Astros Infield (5)
- Keeping: Yainer Diaz (C), Jose Altuve (2B), Carlos Correa (3B), Jeremy Peña (SS)
- Adding: Pete Alonso (1B)
- Cutting: Christian Walker, Isaac Paredes
Christian Walker's contract is at the center of what's handcuffing the Astros this offseason. Finding a taker for the veteran first baseman would be the ultimate dream.
Ideally, Isaac Paredes should remain in Houston; his swing is perfect where they play, but if a trade for a cost-controlled starting pitcher like Peralta is in play this offseason, the third baseman might be included in such a deal.
It also can't be overlooked that the Astros' offense broke at the end of the 2025 season. Adding Alonso and his power would be the perfect way to address the inability to score runs, which derailed their playoff hopes.
Astros Outfield/DH (4)
- Keeping: Yordan Álvarez (DH), Cam Smith (RF)
- Adding: Adolis Garcia (LF), Cody Bellinger (CF)
- Cutting: Jake Meyers
Similar to Paredes, if the Astros are going to be trading for a top-of-the-rotation arm this offseason, considering the shortcomings of their farm system, Meyers will likely be a key piece to any trade.
A healthy Álvarez changes the look of the Astros' lineup. As opposed to keeping him in left field, Álvarez shifting toward the DH role may be the key to keeping him around next season. Adolis Garcia, after being non-tendered by the Texas Rangers, would be a great addition in the outfield.
It would be a strange sight to see Cody Bellinger manning center field in Houston, but his defense isn't in question. Not to mention, Bellinger's bat adds length to an Astros lineup that struggled with strikeouts last season.
Astros Bench (4)
- Keeping: Nick Allen (IF), Zach Cole (CF)
- Adding: Victor Caratini (C/DH), Ryan Mountcastle (1B)
- Cutting: Jesús Sánchez
Given the additions to the Astros' starting lineup, the bench isn't a major priority for this team. Nick Allen and Zach Cole would be fine pieces to keep around.
Putting Victor Caratini in the "adding" category is a little bit of a copout, considering he was with Houston last season, but he is an invaluable piece to their roster and should be brought back. Baltimore Orioles' first baseman Ryan Mountcastle is in need of a change of scenery, and it would be worth the gamble for the Astros.
Sánchez was a promising slugging outfielder when the Astros added him from the Marlins at the trade deadline, but Dand Brown should probably cut his losses here.