5 former Astros players still without a job heading toward Spring Training

This has been a weird offseason not just for the Houston Astros, but for the entire league. After Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto finally signed, most observers thought that the floodgates would open up and fans would see a slew of free agent signings before the New Year. However, instead we have been treated to a trickle of moves with major deals being few and far between.

A big portion of the explanation of the slow pace this offseason has been due to Scott Boras and his willingness to hold out for the most money humanly possible. He is extremely good at his job, but things can move extremely deliberately when he holds the bulk of the top guys still available. That, in turn, freezes the rest of the market and turns the offseason into a staring contest.

It isn't just the Astros' 2024 plans that are impacted. In fact, an entire host of former Astros players currently sit in limbo waiting to sign their next deals. Here is a look at a few of them from the Astros' 2023, roster as well as some familiar faces who left Houston a bit longer ago.

5 former Astros still waiting in MLB Free Agency

Ryne Stanek

Free agency this offseason absolutely ravaged the Astros' bullpen going into 2024. While the losses of Hector Neris and Phil Maton get the most attention, it wasn't that long ago that some thought that the Astros needed to keep reliever Ryne Stanek around for the long haul.

Coming off his 2022 season when he posted a 1.15 ERA in 59 appearances, many openly wondered if Stanek was more deserving of the deal that Rafael Montero ended up signing before the 2023 season. Stanek came back to earth in 2023, and very little has been mentioned at all about where he could end up next year beyond a reunion with the Astros being unlikely.