Signing Tatsuya Imai was the surprising jolt that the Houston Astros needed this offseason. There remain questions over how the team will move forward, given their limited payroll space, and they are still in need of a backup catcher and clearing the infield logjam, but Imai's arrival does alter the conversation that has been surrounding Houston this winter.
Bleacher Report's 2025 grades for each MLB franchise were completed before the Astros signed Imai, and the grade for Houston is proof of that. The Astros walked away from 2025 with a "D", as Kerry Miller pointed to the team missing the postseason and a silent offseason as the reason for the low grade.