The Houston Astros had a disappointing season in 2025. Dealing with injuries and inconsistencies on the offensive side, they couldn’t put it all together to make a playoff push. Players like Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Pena, and Isaac Paredes all dealt with injuries.
The Astros have developed a winning culture, and there is an eagerness to return to the postseason in 2026, but changes will need to be made.
General manager Dana Brown hinted at those changes at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas. They replaced hitting coaches Alex Cintron and Troy Snitker with Victor Rodriguez and Anthony Iapoce.
Astros Want to Return to the Offenses of the Past
In an article written by David Laurilla of FanGraphs.com, Brown said, “We lost a little of our identity last season. We got away from running deep counts and hitting for slug. Those are things we need to get back to, and that’s why we made a change in the hitting area. We wanted new voices. So that’s going to be our identity. Our identity is slug, have deep counts, catch the ball, and really pitch.”
Houston hung around the middle of the pack in a lot of offensive categories. They were 12th in team batting average (.250), 15th in on-base percentage (.315), and the same in slugging. Where the Astros really struggled was in walks. They ranked 26th in all of baseball, and as Brown alluded to, they would like to work deeper counts.
Houston was a juggernaut on the offensive side during their playoff runs. The losses of Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman have been felt, but there are still plenty of players who can contribute. Brown mentioned the injury bug as a crucial part of the Astros’ down year, but there are still concerns.
The front office wants to retain most of its core. Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported that Houston plans to keep Christian Walker and Paredes. A healthy Alvarez would also help get the offense back on track. There isn’t a ton of wiggle room to make a big splash this winter, but they may not need it.
The only hitters that are unrestricted free agents are Victor Caratini and Brendan Rogers. Caratini is one of the top catchers available, so a steeper price may be required to bring him back. Perhaps someone like Harrison Bader or Mike Yastrzemski could bring some outfield depth.
If the Astros can stay healthy, a lot of the pieces are there for success in 2026. Getting back to the ways of the past may be difficult, but the mindset needs to return in order for Houston to ascend the American League once more.
