The 2026 Houston Astros may be closer to the Astros team fans saw at the end of the 2025 season than the one that was flirting with being a top team in the American League before the MLB trade deadline. In other words, the Astros may say they plan on contending next season, and if everything goes right, they certainly can. But it seems like the year will be defined by what happens off the field.
Along those lines, it's been a quiet offseason for Houston. Trading for Mike Burrows was a creative way for the Astros to address the departure of Framber Valdez, but with an aging roster and bloated payroll outlook until after the 2027 season, it's hard to find a scenario where Houston is at the center of the playoff conversation in the immediate future.