The Houston Astros remain one of baseball’s most talented rosters, but for the first time in nearly a decade, the margin is shrinking. They finished 91–71 in 2025, which was good enough to contend, but not enough to dominate the AL West. As they head into the Winter Meetings, Houston must decide whether to double down or slowly drift. José Altuve, Yordan Álvarez and veteran returnee Carlos Correa anchor the core, but the roster has cracks that demand attention now.
1. Add reliable rotation depth to protect against attrition.
The 2025 rotation, headlined by Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti and Hayden Wesneski, showed flashes, but held up poorly across a full season. Valdez’s departure in free agency leaves a hole. The Astros reportedly have interest in outside arms — including free-agent and trade-market candidates — to help stabilize the rotation before late-season wear and tear derails them. SI+1
2. Revamp the bullpen — late-inning reliability isn’t a bonus, it’s a must.
2025 exposed cracks in Houston’s relief corps. As starters tired and fatigue piled up, the ‘pen had too many high-leverage innings to absorb. That pressure translated into blown leads and streaky stretches. Adding one or two dominant relievers — preferably with swing-and-miss stuff — would turn late-game fragility into a competitive edge. Especially now, when every win counts.
3. Reload offense with one more middle-of-the-order bat to balance the lineup.
With Correa back, Álvarez still patrolling the DH spot, and Altuve still contributing, the Astros have star power, but sometimes too much of a concentrated slugging core. Opposing pitchers live easier when only a couple of bats carry the weight. One more impact bat, a corner outfielder or a complementary bat, would deepen the lineup, lengthen their innings, and force pitchers into tougher decisions.
