Houston Astros Must Improve Offense in Multiple Areas During Winter Meetings

The Houston Astros need to make some improvements to their offense during the Winter Meetings.

Oct 2, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third base Alex Bregman (2) runs after hitting a single against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning of game two of the Wildcard round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Minute Maid Park. / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros are coming into the Winter Meetings with a very quiet start to the offseason. 

It was a disappointing end to the 2024 campaign for the Astros, as they suffered their earliest exit from the postseason in a long time. While that could be just an outlier, it could also be an indication that the window is closing on Houston. 

The Astros have been one of the best teams in the American League for the last decade, but sustaining success that long is hard to do. 

This offseason, Houston has one of their top players and a core member of the team, Alex Bregman, as a free agent. The Astros will certainly want their talented third baseman back, but the price is going to be expensive. 

Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com recently spoke about what the Astros need to accomplish during the Winter Meetings. He highlighted obviously bringing back Bregman, but also improving the offense. 

“The Astros' pitching depth means they can focus their resources, such as they are, on bringing back free agent Alex Bregman. If that doesn't happen, the Astros will need to find a replacement while also looking for offensive upgrades at first base and perhaps the outfield, depending on how DH-heavy they want Yordan Alvarez's usage to be. Replacing Bregman is more than replacing third base production -- losing him overturns the dynamic in their clubhouse. Houston's offseason won't really take shape until Bregman's fate is known.”

The future of Bregman in Houston is very much an unknown as of now. The Astros don’t have an unlimited payroll, and their third baseman might be seeking a contract near $200 million. 

While he is an excellent player and has been a big part of the organization, that price might be too steep for Houston. 

In addition to bringing back Bregman, the Astros have a few other needs that helped contribute to their loss early in the postseason. While the starting rotation should be solid, there are a few holes in the lineup that need to be addressed. 

First base and the outfield besides Kyle Tucker really didn’t provide much offensively, as the once deep lineup of Houston looked much easier to navigate in 2024. Adding some help in those two areas and bringing back their star third baseman would be ideal. However, it might not be realistic. 

It feels like Houston is going to have to make a tough decision either this offseason or next regarding some of their top talent, as it just seems like keeping everyone is going to be too expensive. While Bregman might be waiting to see where Juan Soto goes, the Astros might have to make a decision on how high they will go for his contract.