If Spring Training started today (unfortunately, it doesn’t), the Astros would come away with only three notable major league acquisitions: Aledmys Diaz, Robinson Chirinos, and Michael Brantley. The trio isn’t a bad place to start for any contender’s offseason, even when accounting for the club’s departures. Thanks to the talent in place already, there wasn’t a free agent departure that Houston, in theory, could move past if everything lines up as projected.
However, life rarely works out that way. The same reality also applies to baseball. Honestly, the Astros could use another veteran starting pitcher to help ease the load on the young arms.