The Astros came out of 2026 with more questions than comfort, and the two biggest names in this discussion tell the story. One helps solve a glaring problem. The other has to become much more than he was this year.
Peter Lambert looks like one answer in a rotation that still needs several more. The Astros’ pitching situation was already a concern entering the season, and it only grew louder on the way to the offseason.
Lambert, who arrived from NPB, made 29 starts and posted a 3.82 ERA with a 3.91 FIP. He doesn’t overwhelm hitters with pure power, but he works with a kitchen-sink style that keeps them guessing.
He’s not an ace, and he’s not a star, but he does profile as a useful backend starter - and for this staff, that counts as real progress.
The bigger issue is that one useful starter doesn’t close the gap. It just keeps the hole from getting deeper.
Cam Smith, meanwhile, is the kind of young player the Astros need to hit in order for the whole post-Kyle Tucker plan to make sense. Houston traded Tucker to the Chicago Cubs and got Smith back, a toolsy outfielder who moved quickly through the minors and reached the majors at 22.
His rookie season last year offered some flashes, but this was supposed to be the year the bat took off. Instead, it felt like a step backward.
Smith’s defense remains strong, but Houston needs production at the plate, not just clean work in the field. He finished with a .210/.279/.390 line, along with 21 home runs and 12 stolen bases.
The swing-and-miss issue is still there, and he’s still struggling to make enough quality contact. If the Astros are going to avoid a flat-out stumble, they need Smith to develop into someone who can hold down the middle of the order.
He’s still young and inexperienced, but the next season will matter a lot for him.
That’s where the uneasy feeling around this team comes from. They made the playoffs, but it’s hard to look at this group and feel like everything is on solid ground. The next six months should tell plenty about where the Astros are headed, whether they’re about to change direction, and whether the jerseys in the closet still fit the future.
In Other News...
Red Sox Linked To Aggressive Astros Trade That Could Change Everything
After another playoff trip, the Astros are once again staring at an offseason that could push them in a new direction, and that has naturally put a few big names back into the rumor cycle. Isaac Paredes and Carlos Correa have both surfaced as possible targets in ideas connecting Houston and Boston, with contract structure and health among the details shaping how realistic any move might be.
The appeal for Houston is easy to see: a chance to reshape the roster quickly while the window is still open. The harder part is finding a deal that fits, especially with the Red Sox weighing players like Garrett Houck, Jarren Duran and a young pitcher named Rivera in the broader discussion. It is the kind of trade talk that can change the feel of an entire winter, even if the final answer remains out of view for now. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Suddenly Have A Young Pitching Story Worth Watching Closely
Miguel Ullolas first season in the majors gave the Astros something they can always use: a young arm that looked comfortable right away. The right-hander debuted on June 29 after five years of development in the minors, then worked his way into seven September appearances and finished the month with a 0.84 ERA while holding hitters to a sub-.100 average. For a club that has spent plenty of recent years leaning on veteran pitching, that kind of arrival is worth paying attention to.
Ullola also got a taste of the postseason, and he was not eased in quietly. He threw three innings in the playoffs and allowed one earned run, another sign that the Astros may have found a pitcher who does not seem overwhelmed by the moment. For a team always looking to keep its pitching pipeline fresh, his early showing leaves an obvious question hanging over the winter and into next spring: how much more of a role can he earn? [Read more 🡒]
Astros Just Faced The October Question Fans Feared Most
The Astros season ended with a result few in Houston wanted to revisit, as Chicago completed a Wild Card Series sweep and the home postseason frustrations kept piling up. What had once felt like October certainty has turned into something far less comfortable, with Houston now staring at a nine-game home playoff losing streak that dates back to 2023.
Yordan Alvarez remains the bat opponents still have to fear, but the broader picture has become harder to ignore. Houstons trouble has shown up in the biggest moments, especially with runners in scoring position, and too many of the lineups other familiar names have gone quiet in recent postseasons. The next step is not just getting back to October, but figuring out how to stop the same script from playing out once they are there. [Read more 🡒]