The Astros' 3 biggest offseason questions
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This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart's Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Friday’s news that James Click won’t return as the general manager of the Astros after three seasons on the job threw a curveball into the club’s offseason plans. The Astros, only a week after winning the World Series, find themselves searching for a general manager with the Winter Meetings only three weeks away.
The hiring of a new GM will be an important move to chart the future course of the Astros, but the next GM will be inheriting a team built to win. Despite having eight free agents (after reliever Rafael Montero agreed to a deal Saturday), including ace pitcher Justin Verlander and first baseman Yuli Gurriel, the Astros will be among the World Series favorites in 2023. They will return key core players in Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker and Jeremy Peña and have most of their pitching staff back.
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Still, the Astros aren’t a perfect team and have important questions to answer this winter, no matter who’s in the general manager’s office. Here are three key questions facing the Astros this offseason:
Who will play first base?
Gurriel is a free agent at 38 years old and coming off a poor offensive season in which he hit .242 with eight homers and 53 RBIs, though he rebounded to slash .347/.360/.490 with two homers and four RBIs in 12 playoff games. He’s still a good defender who saves the rest of the infielders with his ability to scoop balls at first base. Free agents Anthony Rizzo, Josh Bell and Matt Carpenter could be fits, unless the Astros decide to stick with David Hensley and J.J. Matijevic as internal options if Gurriel signs elsewhere. Keep an eye on Christian Walker of the D-backs as a potential trade candidate.
Will they re-sign Verlander?
Astros owner Jim Crane wants him back, but at what price? Verlander opted out of his $25 million option for 2023 and will be an interesting case on the free-agent market, considering he’s 39 years old and likely will have won the AL Cy Young in his last two healthy seasons (2019, and he’s the heavy favorite this year). Bringing back Verlander would be a luxury considering the Astros’ starting pitching depth, but a luxury Crane would like to have.
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Where can they add some offense?
If Gurriel isn’t back and the Astros don’t re-sign Verlander, they’ll have money to spend to upgrade at first base, which could mean adding an impact bat (Rizzo, Bell, etc.). If Alvarez plays more left field in 2023, which is expected, there’s an opening at designated hitter. The Astros may choose to get younger at that spot instead of bringing back free agent Michael Brantley, who’s 35 years old and coming off shoulder surgery.