HOUSTON -- The Astros’ relatively quiet offseason in terms of player transactions -- re-signing catcher Martín Maldonado and reliever Joe Smith have been their biggest moves -- is the result of an inflated payroll that’s expected to burst through the luxury tax threshold in 2020 for the first time, thereby leaving them without much financial flexibility.

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A sizable chunk of their 2020 payroll, which is expected to be north of the $208 million Competitive Balance Tax threshold, is tied up with arbitration-eligible players. The Astros have six arbitration-eligible players remaining ahead of Friday’s noon CT deadline to exchange salary figures. That list includes five former All-Stars -- outfielder George Springer, shortstop Carlos Correa, closer Roberto Osuna, infielder Aledmys Díaz and right-hander Chris Devenski -- and veteran right-hander Brad Peacock.

• Salary arbitration, explained

The Astros are likely to come to terms with some of those players prior to the deadline. If not, the team will submit an offer, the player will submit a desired salary and a panel of arbitrators will pick a side following a hearing. Teams can continue to negotiate prior to the hearing, but the Astros have been a “file and trial” club the last few years, which means negotiations are ceased once numbers are exchanged.

Here’s a closer look at the Astros’ six arbitration-eligible players, with all projected numbers from Cot's Baseball Contracts:

OF George Springer
Stats in 2019: .292 average, 39 homers, 96 RBIs, .974 OPS in 122 games
Projected salary: $20.75 million

The Astros avoided arbitration with Springer two years ago by agreeing to a two-year, $24 million extension. In his final year of club control, Springer may earn almost as much as that two-year total in one season alone. Only four arbitration-eligible players have received $20 million or more, so Springer could be in elite company. The question remains whether the Astros will try to sign Springer to a long-term deal before he hits free agency after next season.

SS Carlos Correa
Stats in 2019: .279 average, 21 homers, 59 RBIs, .926 OPS in 75 games
Projected salary: $8 million

Correa played in only 75 games in the regular season last year because of two significant injuries -- a recurring back ailment that sidelined him for a month from August to September and a fractured rib he suffered while getting a massage, putting him out two months from May to July. When healthy, he’s one of the elite shortstops in the game, a clutch player who has 11 career postseason homers before turning 26. He made $5 million in ’19 and is in line for a pay raise ahead of his penultimate season before being eligible for free agency.

RHP Roberto Osuna
Stats in 2019: 38 saves in 44 chances, 2.63 ERA, 0.88 WHIP
Projected salary: $9.5 million

In his first full season as the Astros’ closer, Osuna had his patches of inconsistency but put up a solid season and led the American League in saves. He became the youngest pitcher to notch 150 career saves and ranked fourth among qualified AL relievers in WHIP. Osuna made $6.5 million last season.

RHP Brad Peacock
Stats in 2019: 7-6 record, 4.12 ERA in 23 games
Projected salary: $4.75 million

The longest-tenured pitcher on the club, Peacock has served in various roles with the Astros the last few years. Last year, he began the season in the rotation before shifting to the bullpen, making two appearances on the injured list along the way. Peacock is projected by Cot's to make $4.75 million in his final season before free agency after making $3.11 million last year.

INF Aledmys Díaz
Stats in 2019: .271 average, 9 homers, 40 RBIs, .823 OPS in 69 games
Projected salary: $3 million

The versatile Díaz was held to a career-low 57 games due to two stints on the injured list in his first season with the Astros. He made 55 starts in 2019, including 18 at first base, 16 at second base, 15 at third base, three in left field, two at shortstop and one at designated hitter. He’s in his first year of arbitration-eligibility.

RHP Chris Devenski
Stats in 2019: 4.83 ERA in 61 games
Projected salary: $2 million

After producing a 2.38 ERA and 0.93 WHIP across 110 games in his first two seasons in the big leagues, Devenski has a 4.56 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 111 games in the past two seasons. Still, he possesses a swing-and-miss changeup and could emerge as a key part of an Astros bullpen that has lost Will Harris, Collin McHugh and Héctor Rondón. He needs to get back to using his fastball/changeup mix to miss bats like he did in 2017-18 and that starts with good fastball command. Devenski is in his second year of arbitration.