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4 big moves that the Astros need to make at the Winter Meetings
With Winter Meetings approaching, the free agent and trade markets are about to heat up. Let's look at four things the Astros must get done in that timeframe.
MLB Winter Meetings are right around the corner, and with those, many of the off-season dominoes will begin to fall. Free agents will sign, trades will be made, and contract extensions will be signed. For the Houston Astros, the meetings will present a prime opportunity to finally get down to business and get their roster ready for 2024.
The Astros have promoted Joe Espada to manager, and while that was undoubtedly the right move, they've been silent on the roster construction front this far. By the time Winter Meetings wrap up, that can't continue be the case.
4 big moves at Winter Meetings the Astros need to make
The Astros can't get beat to the punch any longer. So often they are making reactive moves to what the rest of the division or the league are doing. Houston needs to strike first for once, whether that be signing a key free agent or locking up some of their own.
First, they need to solidify the rotation.
#1 The Astros need to acquire an ace
Houston has had a dominant rotation for much of their Golden Era, but that was hardly the case in 2023. Injuries played a huge piece, but the Astros paid the price for choosing not to address their rotation last off-season.
Yes, they will get Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. back around the All-Star break, but can they withstand another injury to their rotation? Can they bank on Justin Verlander producing at an All-Star level on the wrong side of 40? Does Framber Valdez have it in him to bounce back from his dreadful second half? What Cristian Javier shows up in 2024? With so many questions, the Astros need to find an answer.
Landing prized free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto would be the dream, but they also can find a #1 via trade. Corbin Burnes and Tyler Glasnow are aces available for rent, and with the title window still open for at least another year, the Astros should be on the phones for both.
Dylan Cease was down in 2023, but his career numbers are eerily similar to those of Gerrit Cole when Houston traded for two years of the future Cy Young winner. If Cease can regain his 2022 form, the Astros would have one of the best pitchers in baseball.
Whatever the move is, if Houston doesn't emerge from Winter Meetings with another dominant arm in the stable, they've missed the opportunity to capitalize on a closing championship window.
#2 Extend Jose Altuve
No Astro is more deserving of a contract extension than Jose Altuve. He's the best player in franchise history, and he continues to get better with age. Altuve should never wear another jersey.
The Astros feel good about their chances of extending their superstar, but they need to stop dawdling and get pen to paper. As long as Altuve is in a lineup with Yordan Alvarez, Yainer Diaz , and both Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker for as long as Houston has them, they have one of the most fearsome lineups in baseball.
Altuve only has one year left on his current contract. Houston shouldn't make him play out 2024 waiting for a deal. The Astros have to lock up Altuve and ensure he's an Astro for life.
#3 Trade José Urquidy and Jake Meyers
With a depleted farm system and a self-imposed hard cap, the Astros, in the words of Dana Brown, have to get creative this off-season. Part of that creativity will be trading from their big league club. While names like Hunter Brown and Chas McCormick could be on the move for a superstar acquisition, José Urquidy and Jake Meyers have to be on the move.
Meyers is blocked, and while he still has his struggles at the plate, he's an elite defender in pre-arbitration with top sprint speed. He'd fill a need on many teams in the game. Urquidy is an innings eater that won't win a Cy Young, but is an upgrade at the back of the rotation for many teams in the game.
Trading Meyers and Urquidy would allow Houston to address their bullpen, which is an absolute must. If Houston doesn't move Meyers and Urquidy while they still have trade value, that's a big miss.
#4 Sign a backup catcher not named Martín Maldonado
The Yainer Diaz era is here. With Dusty Baker officially retired, Diaz will be the Astros primary catcher in 2024. Houston needs a backup for off-days, and it simply can't be Martín Maldonado.
Maldonado was great here for many years, but he was a shell of himself in 2023. If Houston brings him back, it's likely Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez again insist on throwing to Maldy. Houston can't afford to have Maldonado as their starting catcher in two of the first three games of a playoff series moving forward.
There are plenty of suitable backup options on the market. Gary Sanchez has quietly improved on the defensive end, and he would bring plenty of power to take aim at the Crawford Boxes. Sanchez helped pilot Blake Snell to the NL Cy Young after all.
Tucker Barnhart, Victor Caritini, and Austin Hedges would all bring solid defense and be trusted to call a game. Hedges, for his offensive shortcomings, is one of the most elite defensive catchers in the game.
Hedges or Sanchez would make a great deal of sense in Houston.
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