5 offseason needs that the Astros need to address before the 2024 season

A record-setting seventh straight trip to the ALCS for the Houston Astros can hardly be deemed a failure. But around these parts, it's World Series or bust.

5 offseason needs that the Astros need to address before the 2024 season

After dominating them throughout the regular season, the Astros came up short against the Rangers with a pennant on the line. In order for the Astros to bounce back and make a deep run again in 2024, they'll need to address these areas of need in the offseason.

Let's take a look at what Houston needs to accomplish before Opening Day.

#1: A return to their analytical roots

One of the biggest things that killed Houston was their off-season in 2023. They spent $60 million on a bunch of aging veterans that underperformed or missed extended time to injury all season. Michael Brantley's contract is off the books, but José Abreu and Rafael Montero are back.

The Astros would be wise to spend aggressively and extend some of their homegrown talent as most contending teams do, but they need a return to the Jeff Luhnow/James Click model.

Both GMs were more analytically minded, which owner Jim Crane didn't like. Crane surrounded himself with "baseball minds" in Reggie Jackson and Jeff Bagwell instead.

No disrespect to the Hall-of-Famers for their on field exploits, but it's the Sig Medjal, Mike Elias, and Andrew Freemans of the world that build perennial contenders.

With Dusty Baker finally moving on, Houston needs a manager that won't make lineup decisions based on vibes and loyalty to aging vets, but ones that a team interested in winning it all would make.

If Jim Crane can swallow his pride and admit his disdain for the analytical types got them in this mess, reversing course could prolong their window of contention. If they stay in the direction they're currently trending, Houston's Golden Era is officially behind them.

#2 Rebuild the bullpen

The Astros won the 2022 World Series on the backs of a historic bullpen. Ryan Pressly and Bryan Abreu are back from that bullpen (as is the aforementioned Montero for far too much money), but Hector Neris, Ryne Stanek, and Phil Maton (injured in the 2022 postseason) are all free agents. Neris especially needs to be back in an Astros uniform.

While the free agency pool ins't incredibly deep, there are a few intriguing relief options. Houston just needs to do it in a prudent manner as they've done when assembling bullpens under previous regimes.

Make wise trades as they did for a guy like Ryan Pressly and they'll be in good shape. Throw $10 million+ per year at a volatile reliever like Montero and they're in trouble.

#3 Address the starting rotation

When Jim Crane operated as GM de facto in the 2023 offseason, the Astros opted not to address their starting rotation. Justin Verlander left in free agency, but Houston believed they had enough with Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia, Hunter Brown, and José Urquidy.

McCullers didn't throw a pitch for the entire season, Luis Garcia underwent Tommy John surgery one month into the season, Urquidy missed three months with a shoulder injury, Hunter Brown fatigued in the second half as he soared beyond his previous career-high in innings, and Valdez and Javier regressed mightily from their 2022 form as they worked more than every before.

The Astros did of course trade for Verlander at the deadline, but the move cost them their two best prospects. McCullers should be back in 2024, and Garcia will return from TJ as well, but betting on the health of Lance at this point is a criminal decision.

There are some expensive arms on the market, but there are also some arms like Houston signed for depth in the past like a Wade Miley or Jake Odorizzi. The Astros have a good, even great, rotation on paper.

They just need an innings eating veteran to offer protection from injuries decimating them again.

#4 Figure out the outfield

Kyle Tucker is the everyday right fielder. If Yordan Alvarez isn't the DH, he will be in left. But Houston still has no idea what to do in center, and if Alvarez is in fact the DH, no clue what to do in left.

Chas McCormick split time in center with Jake Meyers for half the season, Corey Julks got 300+ at-bats while Yordan rehabbed, Mauricio Dubón began playing center again as Verlander's "personal center fielder" upon JV's return, Michael Brantley played some left, but only on 10 occasions after Jeff Bagwell asserted he would be ready for Opening Day.

The outfield was a revolving door all season. That can't continue. Houston has three great outfielders in Alvarez, Tucker, and McCormick. Those three should start everyday.

On days when Yordan is the DH, Houston can move Chas to left, they could play Dubón in center, or they could look on the free agent market for an option.

There aren't a ton of appealing outfielders on the market, but a name like Lourdes Gurriel, Yuli's brother, could be a great signing.