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4 outfielders the Astros absolutely need to target this offseason
The Astros have some areas of need to address in free agency. A veteran outfielder would go a long way to improving their roster for 2024.
It's hard to define a season that ended in a seventh straight trip to the ALCS as a failure, but for the Astros, it's World Series or bust. Houston was defeated by the Rangers in all four of their home games, mostly as a result of their offense's disappearing act at home.
Here are 4 outfield targets for the Astros in this offseason
You can blame it on the batter's eye if you'd like, and it is almost a sure thing the Astros will again renovate it this offseason, but the bigger issue was the lineup just didn't produce. The Astros started Mauricio Dubón or Michael Brantley in most of their playoff games. Dubón is a singles hitter at best and Brantley struggled mightily down the stretch in an attempt to recover from his shoulder injury.
If the Astros are to make another deep playoff run, landing one of these outfielders this offseason would be huge.
#1 Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Astros fans were very upset when Houston didn't bring back Yuli Gurriel for 2023. La Piña is an Astros legend. Just imagine if the Astros signed his little brother.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is currently playing for a World Series with the Diamondbacks before hitting free agency. He's coming off of a 3.0 WAR season in which he hit .261 with 24 home runs and a .772 OPS. He made his first all-star appearance this year.
Gurriel is a .279 hitter with a .791 OPS in his career. Like his brother, Lourdes is a high-contact, low strikeout hitter.
In 95 games in left field this year, Gurriel was worth 14 DRS. The Astros defensive regression was a big piece of their struggles throughout the year. Gurriel would immediately help shore this up.
An outfield of Gurriel in left, Chas McCormick in center, and Kyle Tucker in right would be potent offensively and defensively. Gurriel is the only outfielder on the market that would make the Astros better both offensively and defensively.
He'll be hitting free agency for the first time since coming over from Cuba, and while he won't be as expensive as a Marcus Semien, he'll be in line for quite a raise from the $5.4 million he made in 2023. If the Astros are serious about getting back to a World Series, they'll pay it.
#2 Jorge Soler
The Astros are intimately familiar with Jorge Soler. The 2021 World Series MVP hit three home runs and drove in six runs while leading the Braves over the Astros.
Soler has a $9 million player option, and coming off of a 36 home run season, it's likely Soler declines said option. He is already 31, and unlike the Corey Seager and Aaron Judge's of the world, doesn't play defense every day. He won't command a long-term deal.
The Astros were lacking in power this year, and while Soler strikes out more often than the typical Astro, his pop is too much to be ignored. Soler would offer protection for Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker that they just didn't have this season.
He's a bit riskier than Gurriel Jr. would be. At times he has been one of the most feared hitters in the game (2016 and his short stint with Atlanta in 2021 for instance), but at other times has been a strikeout machine battling injury (2017 and 2022).
If the Soler of this season shows up next year in an Astros uniform, the Astros have the best lineup in baseball. He wouldn't be the typical Astros move in free agency, but could push them over the top.
#3 Joc Pederson
Joc Pederson is a player we said the Astros should consider trading for last season. He's not nearly as stout defensively as Gurriel, but also not as bad as Soler.
He's coming off of a season in which he posted a .764 OPS, but his 96th percentile hard-hit rate, 91st percentile average exit velocity, 90th percentile xwOBA, and 84th percentile xSLG show he actually was unlucky with his performance. He hit only .235, but his xBA was .263.
As a lefty, Pederson could take aim at the short porch down the line in right in Minute Maid. He could platoon in left and at DH with Yordan Alvarez in the same way Michael Brantley has previously. He walks more than Brantley, singles less, but provides more power. He'd be a good addition to the Astros lineup, and could likely be had for a three or four-year contract.
#4 Alex Verdugo
Alex Verdugo is once again finding his name floated in trade rumors. He's in his final year of arbitration before hitting free agency, and coming off of a nightmare second half, likely has a much lower price tag than he did this time last season.
Verdugo brings balance to the Astros lineup as a lefty, and would seamlessly fill the role of Michael Brantley. He's never hit more than 13 home runs in a season, but is a doubles machine that rarely strikes out.
Verdugo was worth 9 DRS as a rightfielder last year, but also has experience as a left fielder, and for his career, has been worth 21 DRS in left.
Verdugo, like Gurriel, would help the Astros both offensively and defensively.
The farm system is getting more and more bare by the day, so it would be wise for the Astros to address their needs in free agency rather than via trade. If they are to make a trade, Verdugo is a target that would help them improve and that they could realistically meet the price tag for.
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