Houston Astros Could End Up in Another Jose Abreu Situation With Star Free Agent

This is the last thing the Houston Astros want to deal with this winter.

Sep 25, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first base Paul Goldschmidt (46) in the dugout before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros' first base situation has been an issue over the past two seasons which is something the front office will have to address this winter.

While any addition would be a positive one at this rate, it's important the front office doesn't make a move just to make one.

Every signing or trade has to help them get closer to winning a World Series, and spending money on questionable players doesn't always help accomplish that.

The Astros don't want to be in a similar situation to the one they were in with Jose Abreu.

When they landed the aging first baseman, he looked to be one of the best at the position in baseball. A year-and-a-half later, Abreu couldn't produce at any competent level.

With Paul Goldschmidt on the market and recently linked to Houston, they could encounter a similar issue.

Goldschmidt, who's had a much better career than Abreu, is declining. He's coming off the worst campaign of his career, and while that makes him an intriguing buy-low candidate, much safer options are available.

David Schoenfield of ESPN believes he's hitting the free agency market at the wrong time in his career, citing the struggles he faced offensively last year.

"While he's clearly on the downside of a potential Hall of Fame career, he did, however, hit much better in the second half: .271/.319/.480. Goldschmidt also still showed elite exit velocity (92nd percentile hard-hit rate), although his strikeout and walk rates are going in the wrong direction, perhaps suggesting he's having to cheat a little at the plate to catch up to velocity. There is still a chance of a small comeback and there are teams that could use a first baseman if he doesn't end up back in St. Louis."

His second-half numbers were impressive, but it's impossible to ignore how much he struggled before the All-Star break.

Goldschmidt finished with a slash line of .245/.302/.414 and a below-league-average OPS+ of 98.

Those numbers were all career lows by a wide margin, a good indication of him not being the player he once was.

The Astros might believe he still has something left in the tank which might not be the wrong outlook, given he's two seasons removed from an MVP year.

At 37, however, it's tough to know if his decline is as harsh as it seemed in 2024.

Two seasons is a long time at his age, making him a player Houston might have to pass on.