The Houston Astros offseason strategy is going to be monitored closely by fans who were obviously disappointed with the season ending earlier than it had in the previous seven seasons.
On the heels of a run of domination that lasted the better part of a decade, Houston by their standards struggled through the regular season and were still able to claim their fourth consecutive AL West title, but the season ended after a 2-0 sweep from Detroit in the Wild Card round. Moving forward this winter, seeing where the team spends their money will be the most fascinating storyline of the offseason.
Of course, a large looming factor remains Alex Bregman’s status with the team, and if the Astros do give him a hefty deal, it may deter them from spending big elsewhere. But the pitching staff may be the far more bare cupboard with Justin Verlander and Yusei Kikuchi seemingly set to leave, setting up very few reliable starting arms under contract for 2025. Because of this, some Houston fans have linked the team to two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, who will likely hit the open market assuming he opts out of his deal in San Francisco. Drew Koch of Climbing the Hill threw cold water on this pipe dream, telling it point blank and saying Snell is not coming to Houston in a recent article.
“Sorry to burst your bubble, Astros fans, but unless GM Dana Brown can find some sucker to take on Lance McCullers Jr. or Ryan Pressly, it’s not happening,” Koch wrote. “Perhaps the Astros could rub enough nickels together to keep Yusei Kikuchi in Houston next season. That’s probably where they should start.”
Snell signed a 2-year deal late in the process last winter with the Giants fresh off his second career Cy Young season, this time with the Padres. After struggling early in 2024, Snell was phenomenal down the stretch, and though he could opt in with San Francisco and take the $30 million, he will likely be due to receive a 9-figure deal if he hits the open market again.
While Houston would be wise to at least check in and see what it would take to bring a guy with Snell’s pedigree into the rotation, ultimately Koch is likely correct and he will end up somewhere else.
