The Houston Astros have been the talk of the offseason, primarily due to concerns about their outfield depth. Despite expectations, a major acquisition never materialized.
Instead, the Astros brought back Joey Loperfido from the Toronto Blue Jays, essentially swapping him in for Jesús Sánchez as a left-handed option in the corner outfield. While this move adds some depth, the outfield's offensive potential still lags behind the infield, and there's room for improvement on defense too.
Enter Byron Buxton, the Minnesota Twins' center fielder who has been a staple in trade rumors over the past year. He seems like a perfect fit for the Astros. However, after publicly committing to the Twins last summer, would Buxton consider waiving his no-trade clause for a shot at joining a contender like Houston?
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report suggests it's a possibility. He predicts Buxton could end the season with the Astros, pointing to the Twins' fire sale at last year's trade deadline as a sign that Buxton might reconsider his stance.
Miller notes that if Buxton is willing to waive his no-trade clause and remains healthy by the trade deadline-a big "if" given his history-several teams would benefit from his skills in center field. Yet, Houston seems like the standout destination.
Jake Meyers, the Astros' primary center fielder in 2025, performed adequately but hasn't exactly dazzled with a career .678 OPS over 465 games. While he was solid enough for the Astros to move on from Chas McCormick after two subpar seasons, the prospect of adding a player of Buxton's caliber is enticing.
Buxton, who smashed 35 home runs in just 129 games last season, is undeniably one of the elite center fielders when healthy. However, that 129-game mark was his highest since 2017. For this prediction to materialize, the 32-year-old will need to demonstrate improved durability and prove he's overcome his past injury woes.