These Houston Astros Players Are Most Likely To Get Traded Next Season

If the Houston Astros are going to look to make more trades next season, these are the players who are most likely to be moved.

Jul 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly (55) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Minute Maid Park / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

There was some thought that the Houston Astros could be looking to do a mini rebuild.

Not re-signing Alex Bregman and shipping Kyle Tucker out of town certainly suggests a change in mentality despite their return package plugging the hole at third base. Even after handing Christian Walker a lucrative contract to take over first base, the new additions are worth less in WAR than their two departing stars.

General manager Dana Brown seems to think the clubhouse is on the same page as the front office when it comes to their business decisions, but if things don't look good when the upcoming campaign begins, the Astros could have some trouble on their hands.

One way to fix that would be to make some additional trades, dealing from the surplus they have to bring in others at positions of need.

With that in mind, these are the players who are most likely to get dealt by Houston next season.

Ryan Pressly

It should be pointed out that the former closer could be moved before the 2025 campaign even begins, but if the Astros want to hold onto him so the backend of their bullpen is one of the best in the league, he could certainly be on the roster for Opening Day.

That doesn't take away from the fact they would love to dump his salary and get something in return.

Houston will pay Ryan Pressly $14 million next year, so if there is a team looking for a closer at the deadline, they could look to trade him as a rental and get something back in return before he becomes a free agent after the season.

Jake Meyers

Next year feels like it has to be the time for Jake Meyers to break through on offense.

While he's showcased his defensive prowess with a 2.9 bWAR in the field, his slash line of .228/.292/.371 and 86 OPS+ that's 14 points below the league average certainly leaves something to be desired.

If Tucker was still on this team, then the possibility of moving Meyers would be much more likely, but with the Astros looking to use Yordan Alvarez in the field less during the upcoming campaign, Meyers will be the beneficiary of a thin unit.

That could change if he struggles at the plate again, though.

Star prospect Jacob Melton seems to be knocking on the doorstep, so if Meyers doesn't look like a future star, they could move him.

J.P. France

There's just not a lot of room for J.P. France on this roster going forward.

While he was very solid his rookie season with a 3.83 ERA and 111 ERA+ across his 24 outings and 23 starts, the right-hander was brutal in his first five appearances this year by allowing 21 earned runs on 31 hits in 25 1/3 innings of work.

France underwent shoulder surgery that ended his season, and with Hunter Brown looking like a future ace, Spencer Arrighetti figuring it out after early struggles, and the returns of Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr., he is the odd man out.

Houston could be eyeing a way to trade him to a team looking for a backend starter or swingman.