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4 free agent reclamation projects that the Astros should target this offseason
The Astros may have to think outside the box this offseason if they want to improve going into 2024.
The Houston Astros are in a pretty tough spot this offseason. One the one hand, they will be bringing back the vast majority of the roster that very nearly made it to the World Series in 2023 and have been a dominant force in the league for years now. However, they are also seemingly close to tapped out when it comes to their payroll and with the need to at least get SOME extensions done, their ability to add free agents this offseason to address issues with their roster is suspect at best.
One way that Houston could work around their financial inflexibility is to think outside the box a bit. Sure, it would be better if the Astros could target the more "sure thing" guys at the top of the free agent market, but that doesn't seem to be on the table. However, there are a number of guys on the market that could be diamonds in the rough that the Astros need to look at.
Here are a few free agents that are diamonds in the rough that the Astros should consider
While the trade market may end up being the best place for the Astros to make any upgrades they want to make, there are some guys that shouldn't break the bank that could feasibly help them in 2024 and beyond. Sure, these guys have some issues that Houston will have to resolve, but the Astros are uniquely good at getting the most they can out of their players and with the right adjustments, the following players could end up looking like absolute bargains next season.
Let's take a look at some of the free agent reclamation projects that Houston should target this offseason.
Adam Duvall
Astros fans are quite familiar with the damage that Adam Duvall can do as they witnessed it first hand in the 2021 World Series where his grand slam very nearly put an end to that series early. Houston was able to bounce back and win that game, but it was a reminder that when Duvall is on, he is one of the most dangerous hitters in the game.
Duvall does have his issues. He is notoriously streaky and his hit tool can completely disappear for long stretches. On top of that, he has a tendency to get hurt in recent years as multiple issues with his wrist have cost him significant time. However, if he is willing to continue his recent trend of signing affordable, short-term deals this offseason, the Astros should jump on him to bolster their outfield especially if they think they can get him to produce more consistently at the plate.
Kyle Lewis
Kyle Lewis was one of the more exciting bats in the 2016 draft when the Mariners selected him with the 11th overall pick. While Lewis dealt with injuries in the minors, Seattle's faith in him was seemingly rewarded when he won the AL Rookie of the Year title and it looked like he was a star in the making.
Unfortunately, the last couple of seasons haven't gone Lewis' way as he has repeatedly dealt with issues with his knee going back to his minor league days. Over the past two seasons, he has only managed a .496 OPS in limited playing time is extremely not good. However, there is talent here and if Houston can see a path to keeping him healthy, he is a buy-low candidate that could reap huge dividends for Houston.
Matthew Boyd
It wasn't that long ago that Matthew Boyd looked like he had a bright future on the mound ahead of him. During the 2019 season, Boyd's ERA left something to be desired, but he also struck out 238 batters in just 185.1 innings of work. Given the fact that he had also been good about limiting his walks, his upside was hard to ignore if he could just fix his issues with giving up homers.
Unfortunately, the next few years didn't play out that way as he dealt with arm issues and saw his time on the mound limited by injury. All of that came to a head in 2023 when it was announced that Boyd needed Tommy John surgery. Signing Boyd right now would be a risk and more of a long-term play, but he also could probably be had for cheap right now as he rehabs from surgery and the upside is tremendous assuming that all goes well.
Richard Bleier
There is no shortage of bullpen arms available that, with just a tweak here and there, could end up being bargain signings. One such reliever is Richard Bleier who is fresh off a 2023 season with the Red Sox where he posted a 5.28 ERA before he got released in August.
Bleier dealt with shoulder issues last season, so a certain amount of due diligence into his medicals would be necessary, but there is real upside here. When he is right, he throws a ton of strikes and he is uniquely good at getting soft groundballs even if his junkballer stuff doesn't miss a lot of bats. His low fastball velo may not be exactly what an analytics-forward team like Houston would prefer, but as a change of pace lefty out of pen, Houston could do a lot worse...assuming he is actually healthy.
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