{"id":86889,"date":"2025-12-13T16:51:19","date_gmt":"2025-12-13T16:51:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/86889\/"},"modified":"2025-12-13T16:51:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-13T16:51:19","slug":"seven-things-we-learned-about-the-astros-at-the-winter-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/86889\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven things we learned about the Astros at the Winter Meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"

ORLANDO, Fla. \u2014 A week spent setting foundations ended without any Winter Meetings transactions for the Houston Astros, a club focused on trading for starting pitching and navigating its overcrowded infield.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always good when you get something done at the meetings, make an announcement, that\u2019s all cool,\u201d general manager Dana Brown said. \u201cBut it\u2019s not reality all the time. A lot of times, you get to these winter meetings, you set the foundation for a deal and then by the time you get back to your respective cities, that\u2019s when you get the deal done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps, then, the next week will produce some meaningful movement. In an otherwise quiet week at the Signia by Hilton Bonnet Creek & Waldorf Astoria, here are seven things we learned about the Astros:<\/p>\n

Though both men intend to \u201cretire here,\u201d the future of Brown and manager Joe Espada beyond this season is murky. Both members of Houston\u2019s braintrust are in the final year of their contracts, and neither appears close to an extension. On Tuesday, the same day Rob Thomson received a one-year contract extension from the Philadelphia Phillies, Brown evaded a question about whether Espada has warranted one of his own. It should be noted, too, that Espada sat nearby, listening to Brown\u2019s interview and answer to this question.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoe and I have had the conversations that we both want to retire here. That\u2019s our goal,\u201d Brown said Tuesday. \u201cThe way we\u2019re going to be able to do that is to put a good team together, win, get deep into the postseason and then our contracts will take care of itself. I like the way we both put the time in to get to where we are. We take pride in that, and we (will) work our tails off to get back to the postseason, and we\u2019re going to work our tails off to get deep into the postseason.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether extending Espada is even Brown\u2019s decision is a legitimate question, especially given the general manager\u2019s own uncertain status. Owner Jim Crane does have precedent for allowing his manager and general manager to operate as lame ducks, with Dusty Baker doing so twice and James Click once.<\/p>\n

At least one other head of baseball operations, the San Diego Padres\u2019 AJ Preller, is also in the final year of his contract, but he has engaged<\/a> in extension negotiations with Padres ownership. It\u2019s unclear if Crane, who hasn\u2019t held a news conference since Opening Day, has the appetite to do so with his employees.<\/p>\n

\"Houston<\/p>\n

\n Joe Espada and Dana Brown are not guaranteed another leap of faith from Astros ownership, but history could be on their side. (Troy Taormina \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Trading Kyle Tucker last December set a precedent. As a result, each subsequent offseason will feature speculation about a similar deal involving a homegrown superstar whom Houston has failed to extend. Brown shut down one possibility Tuesday, revealing that teams have not inquired about shortstop Jeremy Pe\u00f1a\u2019s availability.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think teams understand if you\u2019re a winning team and you\u2019re trying to go back to the postseason, there\u2019s no way you can trade your starting shortstop,\u201d Brown said.<\/p>\n

The revelation itself is unsurprising. Pe\u00f1a has two more seasons of club control remaining. Tucker had one when the Astros traded him last winter.<\/p>\n

Still, Houston\u2019s overcrowded infield and its constant search for farm system upgrades made it at least feasible to consider listening to ideas for Pe\u00f1a. The prospect haul in a potential Pe\u00f1a trade would do wonders for the Astros, but would also signal the sort of organizational step back that runs counter to Crane\u2019s claim of a championship window never closing during his ownership tenure.<\/p>\n

So, for now, Pe\u00f1a remains entrenched in Houston. Perhaps that will change if the Astros underperform before the trade deadline and decide to sell. If they don\u2019t, expect this same conversation to occur next winter, when moving Pe\u00f1a will feel far more realistic and align with the precedent Tucker set.<\/p>\n

Despite the presence of clubhouse favorite C\u00e9sar Salazar, the Astros are pursuing a more experienced catcher to back up starter Yainer Diaz. Salazar, who will be out of minor-league options this season, has long been lauded for his game calling and pregame preparation, but there is concern about overexposing him at the major-league level. Bear in mind, too, that Victor Caratini became a critical part of Espada\u2019s roster flexibility, contributing as a designated hitter, occasional first baseman and as one of the team\u2019s most trusted pinch hitters.<\/p>\n

The Astros have interest in a reunion with Caratini, but clubs in search of everyday catchers have identified Caratini as a target and could make him more lucrative offers. It stands to reason, too, that Caratini would prefer more regular playing time after two successful seasons in Houston.<\/p>\n

After a late-season shoulder strain, Josh Hader\u2019s days as a multi-inning reliever may be over<\/a>. Might set up man Bryan Abreu also see a decrease in those duties? Espada acknowledged Monday that he is \u201clooking for ways to take that fourth out of Abreu\u2019s hands early in the season\u201d in an effort to maintain health for one of baseball\u2019s most underrated relievers.<\/p>\n

Ten of Abreu\u2019s 70 appearances last season featured more than three outs. Four of them occurred before June 2. Previously unheralded middle relievers such as Bryan King, Steven Okert, Kaleb Ort and Bennett Sousa became more reliable throughout the season, lessening Espada\u2019s urgency to deploy Abreu earlier than the eighth inning.<\/p>\n

Similar seasons from those relievers, and maybe other surprise contributions, will allow Houston to preserve Abreu and Hader early in the season. Espada said he will be \u201cfocused on\u201d pitching young relievers early in spring training to determine if any could contribute in high-leverage roles. Rule 5 pick Roddery Mu\u00f1oz will be among them.<\/p>\n

Bear in mind, too, that this is Abreu\u2019s final season before free agency, which will make his usage fascinating to follow. He\u2019s made at least 70 appearances in each of the past three seasons. That durability will increase his value on the open market, but must also be monitored before he enters it.<\/p>\n

Other than announcing Eric Velazquez\u2019s promotion from assistant athletic trainer to head athletic trainer, Brown declined to reveal much about the changes Houston made this winter to its much-maligned return-to-play procedure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t get into our policies, but make no mistake, we\u2019ve definitely taken a deep look at it and talked at length about return to play,\u201d Brown said. \u201cWe definitely have a plan in place. I won\u2019t talk publicly about it, but it\u2019s something we\u2019re taking a lot of pride in this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Houston didn\u2019t renew<\/a> the contract of long-time head athletic trainer Jeremiah Randall after an injury-marred season filled with setbacks.<\/p>\n

Brown said the team is \u201cstill working through details\u201d of some assistant athletic trainers, but the team\u2019s official website, which reflects Velazquez\u2019s promotion, lists Taylor Witczak as an assistant athletic trainer. Witczak was listed as the major-league physical therapist in last season\u2019s media guide.<\/p>\n

John Gregorich, who served as an assistant athletic trainer last season, is no longer listed on the team\u2019s website. Both of the team\u2019s strength coaches, Hazael Wessin and Stephanie Mock Grubbs, remain listed in their same positions from last season.<\/p>\n

After authoring a career renaissance in Korea, right-hander Ryan Weiss will compete for a spot \u201cin the back-end\u201d of Houston\u2019s starting rotation, Brown said. Ditto for Nate Pearson and AJ Blubaugh, both of whom Brown confirmed will be stretched out as starters in spring training.<\/p>\n

Neither Blubaugh nor Pearson has Weiss\u2019s track record of durability, which is important for a team that returns only one pitcher who threw more than 100 major-league innings last season. Weiss threw 178 2\/3 innings in KBO last season and, in 2024, logged 146 1\/3 frames between independent ball and Korea.<\/p>\n

Weiss\u2019 deal, which the Astros made official Tuesday, contains a $5 million club option for 2027 that contains a $500,000 buyout, according to a league source. He will make a $2.5 million base salary in 2026, but can earn an extra $250,000 if he pitches 100 innings and another $150,000 if he throws 130 frames.<\/p>\n

According to Brown, Lance McCullers Jr. is \u201clocked in\u201d before the final season of his five-year, $85 million contract extension. The Astros could benefit from any type of bounce-back he can make.<\/p>\n

Injuries and setbacks have limited McCullers to 103 innings pitched since 2021. He returned last season from flexor tendon surgery, but struggled to a 6.51 ERA across 55 1\/3 innings and finished the season as a long reliever.<\/p>\n

Getting anything close to McCullers\u2019 previous form would be a boon to a starting rotation with so much uncertainty.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got something to prove to the baseball world that he\u2019s still Lance McCullers and he can get after it,\u201d Brown said. \u201c \u2026 I\u2019m kind of excited about seeing him in spring training, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ORLANDO, Fla. \u2014 A week spent setting foundations ended without any Winter Meetings transactions for the Houston Astros,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":86890,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[56,5513,58,57,7677],"class_list":["post-86889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston","tag-houston","tag-houston-astros","tag-houston-headlines","tag-houston-news","tag-mlb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86889"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86889\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86890"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}