Houston Astros News

Biggest Winners and Losers of the MLB Offseason

Before spring training games get underway, let’s look back and evaluate the winners and losers of this MLB offseason.

3 HOURS AGO • FOX SPORTS

Biggest Winners and Losers of the MLB Offseason

Todd Kalas calls Josh Hader's absence a 'devastating blow' as Astros await closer's return | Sporting News Could Josh Hader be the difference maker for the Astros?

8 HOURS AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

'He just has a presence to him:' Correa brings peace of mind to hopeful Astros WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- After the Astros suffered their third consecutive shutout loss while they were in Detroit last August, veteran Carl...

8 HOURS AGO • MLB.COM

Astros still face major outfield questions over a year after Kyle Tucker trade | Sporting News The Astros have yet to find their plug-and-play corner outfielder.

10 HOURS AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Astros are scraping the bottom of the barrel with interest in hated Dodgers flop The Astros are reportedly expressing interest in Michael Conforto as spring training gets underway.

10 HOURS AGO • DODGERSWAY.COM

CJ Alexander - Latches on with Astros Alexander signed a minor-league contract with the Astros on Tuesday.

Impact Alexander spent nearly all of 2025 at Triple-A, slashing .254/.355/.450 across 462 total plate appearances with three organizations. He'll now begin the 2026 campaign in the Astros' farm system and is again likely to spend most of the year at Triple-A Sugar Land.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

MLB analyst pinpoints three veterans key to the Astros returning to form | Sporting News It's time for Houston to get back on track.

1 DAY AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

MLB Spring Training Buzz: Guardians to Use Gold Glover Kwan in Center in Spring

It's time to dust off those ball bags — MLB spring training has commenced!

1 DAY AGO • FOX SPORTS

MLB Spring Training Buzz: Guardians to Use Gold Glover Kwan in Center in Spring

Josh Hader - Plays catch Wednesday Hader (biceps) played catch out to 90 feet Wednesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact Hader is still in the early stages of his throwing program after he was briefly shut down earlier this month when he experienced inflammation in his left biceps. Prior to that, Hader missed the final month and a half of the 2025 season while recovering from a left shoulder strain, but he appeared to have a normal offseason before the biceps issue cropped up following his fourth bullpen session of the winter, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Hader still has a chance of completing his throwing program in advance of Opening Day, but if he suffers a setback or otherwise requires a brief stint on the injured list to begin the season, Bryan Abreu would likely rank as the top option for saves out of the Houston bullpen.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Word of the Day helps bridge language gap on Astros' multinational roster WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Astros pitcher AJ Blubaugh was one of the first to greet new teammate Tatsuya Imai in the early days of camp last w...

2 DAYS AGO • MLB.COM

Astros to place onus on Carlos Correa in 2026 after trade deadline pickup | Sporting News Carlos Correa needs to be ready to go all year in 2026 for the Astros.

2 DAYS AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Colton Gordon - Uphill battle to make team Gordon is likely to open the season with Triple-A Sugar Land, Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact Gordon will start the Astros' Grapefruit League opener Saturday against Washington, though the left-hander is one of seven pitchers competing for Houston's final rotation spot. Gordon appeared in 20 MLB games, including 14 starts, as a swingman last season, posting a 5.34 ERA with a 1.42 WHIP and 7.5 K/9 across 86 innings.

2 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Long-term Astros' starting pitcher expresses the importance of great performance for fans | Sporting News Even though the pitcher may feel his career is nearing its end, he wants it to be a good experience for the fans.

3 DAYS AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Astros trade talks on Isaac Paredes are heating up amid MLB executive predictions | Sporting News Isaac Paredes trade talks are heating up in recent days.

3 DAYS AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Astros legend Craig Biggio reacts to son signing with Houston | Sporting News The Biggio family’s ties to Houston remain.

3 DAYS AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Longtime Astros Pitcher Hints Possible Retirement After 2026 Season No matter how much longer Lance McCullers Jr. plays, he is undeniably a Houston Astros legend. Under Jose Altuve, he is the second-longest t...

3 DAYS AGO • SI.COM

Cavan Biggio - Recovering from elbow scope Biggio said Monday that he's about 2-to-3 weeks away from being ready to play in Grapefruit League games while he works his way back from offseason arthroscopic surgery on his righ...

Impact Biggio will be attending big-league camp after signing a minor-league deal with the Astros on Sunday, but he'll be behind Houston's other position players early in spring training while he completes his post-surgery ramp-up program. Assuming he's able to play in games by early March, Biggio should keep himself in the mix for a utility spot on the Astros' Opening Day roster.

3 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Yordan Alvarez pushes back on DH-only role | Sporting News Yordan Alvarez wants to play on the field; the Houston Astros are noncommittal.

3 DAYS AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Isaac Paredes - Seeing time at second base Paredes was spotted playing second base during infield drills Monday and is expected to get reps at different positions throughout spring training, Chandler Rome of The Athletic re...

Impact Paredes missed two months last season with a hamstring tear, leading to the Astros' re-acquisition of Carlos Correa. With Correa expected to man third base in 2026, Paredes enters spring training as the odd man out in a crowded Houston infield. While a trade remains possible and would probably be the best outcome for Paredes from a fantasy perspective, the Astros appear to be testing him out as a utility option. Second base could ultimately be Paredes' best path towards playing time, as manager Joe Espada has indicated he wants to give Jose Altuve some more rest this season. Paredes appeared in 102 games last year, posting an .810 OPS with 20 home runs and 53 RBI.

3 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Astros make Jose Altuve position announcement for 2026 season | Sporting News The Astros have a clear plan for Jose Altuve this season.

3 DAYS AGO • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Jose Altuve - Focusing on second base this spring Astros manager Joe Espada said Monday that Altuve will spend most of spring training working exclusively at second base, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Impact Altuve was the Astros' Opening Day left fielder last season and wound up splitting his time pretty evenly between left field, second base and designated hitter. This season, however, he appears slated to return to his natural second base position on an everyday basis. Zach Cole looks like the favorite to see most of the reps in left field for Houston.

3 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Framber Valdez leaves Astros with grateful words after $115M Tigers move Framber Valdez spent the first six years of his MLB career with the Houston Astros. Valdez debuted for the Astros in August 2018 and earned two All-Star selections with the club.

3 DAYS AGO • SPORTSKEEDA.COM

Jose Altuve - Healthy to start spring Altuve (foot) is healthy to start spring training and is expected to serve as the Astros' primary second baseman this season, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Impact Altuve dealt with a rocky transition to left field to start the 2025 campaign and finished the year with a nagging foot injury, resulting in a .265 batting average, the lowest of his career apart from the 2020 shortened season. Now healthy and back at second base, Altuve will look to rebound in 2026. Manager Joe Espada emphasized the 35-year-old Altuve's health earlier in the offseason, stating that he needs to "help Jose have the right amount of time to be off his feet." With Houston's current surplus of infielders, it seems likely that Altuve will at least play fewer than the 155 games he did in 2025.

3 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Yordan Alvarez - Clear of ankle pain Alvarez (ankle) reported to spring training Sunday and announced that his is pain-free, Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact The 28-year-old dealt with a left ankle sprain late last year and dealt with some inflammation early in the offseason, but it appears he's entering spring training at 100 percent. Alvarez was limited to 48 games due to the ankle issue and a hand fracture, with his .273/.367/.430 slash line representing career lows in average and slugging percentage. The injury-plagued season ended a run of four straight 30-homer campaigns for Alvarez, who is a popular rebound candidate in 2026.

4 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

With trade rumors swirling, Paredes keeps focus on the field WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The fact that third baseman Isaac Paredes even reported to camp and put on an Astros uniform Sunday morning was a s...

4 DAYS AGO • MLB.COM

INJURIES

PLAYER NEWS

Biggest Winners and Losers of the MLB Offseason

MLB Spring Training Buzz: Guardians to Use Gold Glover Kwan in Center in Spring

NEWS

SCHEDULE

STANDINGS

STATS

ROSTER

VIDEOS

ODDS

GAME LOG

INJURIES

PLAYER NEWS

Biggest Winners and Losers of the MLB Offseason

MLB Spring Training Buzz: Guardians to Use Gold Glover Kwan in Center in Spring