The Astros don’t have a roster crunch full of departing names this winter, but there are still a handful of decisions to make as they look toward next season. With the club carrying most of its core under contract, the list of possible exits is short - but not insignificant.
The biggest question marks are clustered around the bullpen and a couple of role spots. On the position-player side, Houston also has some clear uncertainty in center field and behind the plate. And there’s one notable contract situation that technically isn’t a free-agent case at all.
Daulton Varsho is the first name on the list. Houston picked him up at the trade deadline from the Toronto Blue Jays for what turned into a two-month rental that never really clicked. Varsho had been playing on a one-year, $10.75 million deal with Toronto after avoiding arbitration.
His time with the Astros was interrupted by left arthroscopic wrist surgery, which forced him out for the final weeks of the regular season and the Wild Card Round. The procedure addressed two cysts and chronic inflammation. He had also been dealing with discomfort for three months before arriving in Houston, and the issue kept him from swinging at certain pitches.
Even with the defensive value and veteran presence he brought, plus five home runs, a reunion looks unlikely. Houston also needs more impact in center field.
Bryan Abreu is a much bigger bullpen decision. The 29-year-old worked on a one-year, $5.85 million deal this season, and he remains one of the most important relief arms tied to Houston’s recent run. He was a key reason the bullpen was so effective during the 2022 World Series season.
Abreu had a rough opening stretch, but settled in and finished with a 3.73 ERA across 62.2 innings, 80 strikeouts and nine saves. That kind of production matters, especially with the Astros needing a bullpen reset.
The wrinkle is that Houston tried to move him at the deadline to the Minnesota Twins for Trevor Larnach. Spotrac has his market value projected at almost $11 million, so whether he stays or goes is very much in play.
Steven Okert gave Houston exactly the kind of steady relief work contenders crave. The 35-year-old posted a 2.13 ERA in 67.2 innings with a 0.87 WHIP, and the Astros used him in just about every type of spot imaginable.
He signed before the season for one year and $2.325 million, and his value now sits at just over $6.5 million. If Houston wants a clean, sensible bullpen keep, he fits the bill.
Victor Caratini was another late-season addition who did his job in a limited role. The 36-year-old catcher joined on a minor league contract with a spring training invite, then landed on the big league roster on a $1 million base salary.
He appeared in 86 games as the backup catcher and hit .583 OPS with seven home runs. He was solid in the role, though the Astros may still look to upgrade behind the plate.
Another bullpen arm, Enoli De Los Santos, started the year well before fading out of the leverage mix. He finished with a 4.79 ERA in 71.1 innings, a 1.25 WHIP and seven saves. He had signed last year for under $2 million, but Houston may decide it needs more dependable quality in those spots.
Victor Caratini was another late-season addition who did his job in a limited role. The 36-year-old catcher joined on a minor league contract with a spring training invite, then landed on the big league roster on a $1 million base salary.
He appeared in 86 games as the backup catcher and hit .583 OPS with seven home runs. He was solid in the role, though the Astros may still look to upgrade behind the plate.
Finally, veteran outfielder and first baseman Jason Wade arrived in June on a one-year, $1.5 million deal. Houston’s outfield depth was thin all season, but Wade doesn’t look like someone the Astros would want starting regularly moving forward. He could still have some value as a pinch-hitter, but if Houston makes meaningful outfield additions, bringing him back seems unlikely.
There’s also the situation with the young Japanese right-hander Imai. He is not a free agent, but he could choose to opt out of his three-year, $54-million deal. That appears unlikely, given the adjustment he made to play in America this season and the issues that came with it.
Imai put up a 4.93 ERA in 23 games, including 15 starts, and had a rough start to the year, especially in the first inning. Houston eventually moved him to the bullpen, and he wasn’t used much down the stretch.
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