Houston Astros Could Turn Things Around Despite Major Lineup Changes

Despite a lot of changes this winter, the Houston Astros still might be able to compete in the American League.

Sep 24, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Seattle Mariners in the fourth inning at Minute Maid Park. / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

It has been a wild offseason for the Houston Astros so far after some major changes to the roster.

The 2024 campaign ended in disappointment for the Astros. After a slow start to the season, Houston got hot and win the American League West somewhat comfortably.

However, they had to face the red-hot Detroit Tigers in the wild card round and were eliminated by the upstart team to their north.

Coming into the offseason, the team was expected to make some changes after their early exit from the postseason. However, the decision to trade Kyle Tucker and the aftermath following the blockbuster deal was surprising.

Now, the Astros find themselves in an interesting spot heading into 2025. Despite trading Tucker and likely allowing third baseman Alex Bregman walk in free agency, this is still a pretty good team in Houston.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently wrote about a New Year’s Resolution for each Major League team. For the Astros, he wrote about the downward trend from year to year. That includes going from 106 wins in 2022, when they won the World Series, to 90 wins in 2023 and then to 88 wins last season.

But he still pointed to them being a threat in the American League, even as their seven-year streak of reaching either the ALCS or the World Series ended.

“Contending is still the name of the game, however, and it's a mistake to underestimate these Astros," he wrote.

Figuring out how good or bad Houston could be next season will be challenging based on all of the moves that they made this offseason.

In their lineup, the loss of Tucker and the likely loss of Bregman can't be understated. However, the Astros added Christian Walker in free agency to fix the glaring issue at first base. The veteran slugger can hit for power and provide the Astros with gold glove defense.

While the addition of Walker was a good one, the lineup almost certainly will take a step back next season. However, Houston does have one of the best starting rotations in baseball coming into the new year, and that could be key in a long season.

Even though it feels like the championship window is either closed or closing quickly for Houston, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Astros made the playoffs and had another strong campaign in 2025.

There will be more moving pieces for the Astros this offseason. However, with a great starting rotation, anything is possible in baseball. If Houston avoids another slow start and the lineup survives the losses in the lineup, Houston can still certainly compete next season.