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3 moves the Astros can still make before 2024 spring training
The offseason is almost over, but there are still some moves that Houston could make.
The Houston Astros' offseason is coming to an end and things are looking good. The biggest question mark they had this offseason, the bullpen, got a nice boost after adding Josh Hader, and the rest of the roster is looking pretty stacked. Considering the state of the Astros' payroll, general manager Dana Brown has done well this offseason to work around the limitations.
There is still some open business to attend to, however. There are still no extensions for Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez. There's still plenty of time to figure things out with Tucker and Valdez, but securing Altuve for the rest of his career probably needs to be a priority. There's also the matter of getting the last few areas of concern on roster sorted out before the 2024 season.
To be clear, Houston isn't likely at all to make another big splash this offseason. Signing Hader was already pushing the limits of Jim Crane's willingness to spend, so don't expect Jordan Montgomery to walk in the door right at the start of spring training.
However, there are some moves the Astros could make that wouldn't break the bank and could make what is already a very good roster even better heading into the 2024 season.
3 moves the Astros can still make before 2024 spring training
Sign Brent Honeywell
Just a few years ago, Brent Honeywell was one of the best prospects in baseball. However, his career got derailed as a series of arm injuries cost him a ton of development time and threatened his playing days. Honeywell ended up making it back, but he has been forced to bounce around the league a bit since leaving the Rays.
Given Honeywell's track record, the nice thing about a potential pickup here is that he shouldn't be expensive. Guys who have had four throwing arm surgeries with little in the way of a big league track record aren't exactly in a position to demand big money.
While Honeywell's numbers weren't fantastic last year, his breaking stuff still performed well and he was good at keeping the ball on the ground. Another year removed from his injuries combined with changes in his pitch usage (he really needs to throw his changeup less) could make him a nice, cheap addition to the Astros' already impressive bullpen depth.
That said, a strong look at his medical records is basically a requirement here. He may not be super costly, but signing a guy only to find out that he's a stiff breeze away from blowing his arm out again doesn't seem like a great idea. If things check out, a fit here makes sense.
Trade Jake Meyers for bullpen help
The Astros have been selling folks on Jake Meyers hard this offseason. Despite a steady stream of rumors that Meyers has been on the trade block, Brown has said publicly that the Astros are absolutely not trying to move him and he's currently the favorite to win the starting center field spot.
In some respects, this makes sense. Meyer's offensive deficiencies aside, he's truly a fantastic defensive outfielder. He has ranked among the best outfielders in the league by Outs Above Average the last two seasons and it's somewhat admirable that Houston is giving him a public vote of confidence that he can turn things around at the plate.
However, it would be a mistake not to move Meyers this offseason. The Astros just don't have the time for Meyers to improve from a hitter that posted a 66 wRC+ in 2022 and an 88 wRC+ in 2023. Those aren't just slightly below average offensive numbers, those are "he is not a big league hitter" numbers. On top of that, Houston has minor league outfield depth that is developing quickly, and not giving those guys an opportunity in order to keep Meyers in the lineup would be malpractice.
Unfortunately, Meyers doesn't have a ton of trade value beyond the fact that he's under team control through the 2027 season. The Astros could find a rebuilding team that has a reliever they like, though, and then make a deal involving Meyers work. Alternatively, Meyers could be a part of a package that would allow Houston to trim some payroll to make another move. Either way, trading Meyers seems to be the best path forward.
Sign Eddie Rosario
While the Astros could head to spring training right now and call it a day when it comes offseason moves and be just fine, adding a left-handed outfield bat would be a nice touch. The issue is that the outfield market this offseason is decidedly lacking in, well, everything beyond Cody Bellinger, and the Astros aren't going to try and sign him unless Jim Crane's bank account gets hacked.
However, one fairly interesting option for the outfield that's still available is Eddie Rosario. After essentially carrying the Braves to the World Series in 2021, Rosario overcame some eye issues to be a reasonably productive player in 2023 before Atlanta decided to decline his $9 million option.
The fit here isn't perfect. Houston is reportedly looking at lefty outfielders who have speed. While Rosario's sprint speed is fine, he also isn't a speedster or much of a stolen base threat. He's also only coming off a mediocre year at the plate overall (.755 OPS with 21 homers) that was buoyed by a hot streak, and can be a bit of an adventure at times in the field.
For the right price, he would be a fine addition in a timeshare situation in left. If he's wanting to get paid and/or play every game, the Astros may be better off looking somewhere else, though.
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