What the Astros definitely didn't learn after sideways 2025 season

In many ways, the Houston Astros' season was one of contradictions. The club wanted to compete, yet made moves that looked more toward the future than the present. They wanted to stay under the luxury tax, yet ended up surpassing it anyway. The Astros counted on midseason returns from previously injured players, just to watch those who weren't already on the shelf be decimated by yet another injury wave.

The primary mistake Houston made was trying to have their cake and eat it too. The gambit was to rebuild on the fly while still trying to compete. And while it worked for a bit, the strategy left obvious holes on the roster that were only exacerbated by injuries that they consistently mismanaged.

With a farm system left bare for a variety of reasons, Houston didn't have depth to rely on, nor did it have young talent to integrate with their core. Instead, they swapped some of their veteran star power to import youth, getting mixed results at best.

Cam Smith faded relatively quickly. Hayden Wesneski failed to impress before being lost for the season. Only Isaac Paredes stood out as a contributor today and tomorrow. With their feet in both camps, the Astros ended up in no-man's land  —  unable to hammer down the throttle and race towards the finish line while also failing to significantly change their bleak future outlook.

The Houston Astros should learn to pick a path  —  contend or rebuild  —  and stick to it, but they won't

The Astros have more holes heading into 2026 than they did this time last year. They need a No. 2 starter and at least two more arms for the rotation. The lineup and bullpen could use some reinforcements, too. Yet there are some who believe that, with better health, the core is strong enough to simply run it back. Others see the future in a much more pessimistic light.

The truth of the matter is, the Astros have arrived at a fork in the road. Either path they take could be the right one if they commit. If they truly want to extend their window, it will mean spending big and not allowing the bloated contracts of Christian Walker, Carlos Correa, and Jose Altuve to hold them back.

If they want to rebuild, they'll need to aggressively sell off veteran assets before their value turns to dust and embrace the growing pains with open arms.

Trying to split the difference again is the equivalent of running on a treadmill; regardless of how fast they go, they'll stay in the same place. That will lead to the type of baseball purgatory that Houston has long avoided, while only serving to delay the inevitable.

The Astros should have learned their lesson in 2025, but in their desire to keep the good times rolling and the budget intact, they'll quickly find themselves making the same mistake in 2026 and will again wind up with nothing to show for it.