3 moves the Astros can still make before 2024 spring training

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.