The Houston Astros are in a difficult position this offseason with serious needs and not much money to spend. This is nothing new. The club has many big-money contracts that are holding them back, and their financial realities are what motivated the Kyle Tucker trade last winter.
Some of this is just the cost of doing business. Lance McCullers Jr. looked like a rising star when the Astros bestowed him with a five-year, $85 million extension, only to be derailed by devastating injuries. Jose Altuve's contract is what you have to do for a player who has been the face of your franchise for so long.