Astros Post Mortem: Four Offseason Decisions That Must Be Made

The Houston Astros concluded their 2026 season much like their season had progressed - without achieving their promises, marked by frustration and disappointment. The season's end highlighted the team's lack of substantial depth, compounded by aging veteran players. The primary offseason decisions for the Astros include handling Jeremy Pena, trading Christian Walker, settling the positions of Isaac Paredes and Carlos Correa, and restructuring the DH position.

A) Pena, a team leader, offensive catalyst and the best defender at first base, is under consideration for a long-term contract. If the team decides to pay him a substantial deal, it could secure his services through his age-36 season. However, if they choose not to, they might trade him for a player like Kyle Tucker. On the other hand, if they let him walk, it would be a significant mistake.

B) Christian Walker's performance has been inconsistent, with high strikeouts, ground into double plays (GIDPs), and missed RBI opportunities. His age, coupled with these issues, makes him a challenging trade candidate. However, if the Astros cannot find a suitable trade partner, they may have to let him walk.

C) Deciding the positions of Paredes and Correa is crucial. While Paredes has experience at first base, his defense is a concern. Correa, despite his injury, is a superior defender at third base. If Correa's injury limits his ability to play third base, moving him to first base could be a viable option. His superior defense at first base and his ability to translate his skills to the new position make this a plausible scenario.

D) The Astros need to reconsider their strategy for the designated hitter (DH) position. Yordan Alvarez's performance as a DH has been outstanding, but his performance as a left fielder has been even better. The Astros could benefit from having him play DH more often, given his All-Star caliber performance in that role. Jose Altuve's struggles at second base have been a major concern, with the lowest overall defensive metric in the league.