With baseball’s seventh-largest payroll, Jim Crane has proven he’ll spend whatever it takes to keep the Astros chasing division titles and playoff berths. The questions now are where and how the franchise reconstructs the 2026 roster.
The contrast across baseball is striking. The Guardians and Brewers each reached the postseason while spending considerably less. Combine both rosters, and they’d still come in roughly $5 million under Houston’s $220 million tab. Every organization has its share of misfires, but the Jose Abreu contract stands as an unqualified disaster. When the final payout was made following his release, Houston had wasted $31 million. The $19 million per year invested in reliever Josh Hader hasn’t aged gracefully either. Hader has been good in stretches but rarely dominant, and as he faded onto the IL late in the year, so did Houston’s playoff hopes.
This winter could also bring temptation in the form of old faces.
Alex Bregman, still a fan favorite, can opt out of his deal in Boston, though he’ll turn 32 by Opening Day. Justin Verlander, 43, has already had two stints in Houston, and while his age raises eyebrows, his late-season form did not. He was sharp in August, beating both the Cubs and Orioles and fanning 10 in the latter start. Kyle Tucker’s summer slump, meanwhile, was hard to ignore with just 27 hits across July and August. His postseason average (.259) hovered near his regular-season mark (.266). Each of those players helped define Houston’s championship era, and the temptation to reunite the band will be real.
There’s also housekeeping ahead. Lance McCullers Jr. remains a beloved figure, but durability has vanished. He’ll enter the final year of his contract with health still in question, having logged a 6.51 ERA while missing 91 games. The Astros need pitching help, but the Dylan Cease sweepstakes should be avoided. Though Cease made 32 starts, his innings total was his lowest since 2020 and his command inconsistent.
Offensively, Houston’s issues were hidden by star power. The Marlins, hardly an offensive juggernaut, finished with 16 more hits than the Astros. Jeremy Peña enters his fifth season and, theoretically, the prime of his career. For reference, Craig Biggio’s fifth year saw him draw a career-high 94 walks; if Peña can even reach half that total, Houston’s attack could evolve quickly. The 1-2-3 of Peña, Alvarez, and Altuve remains potent, but overall health and whether Carlos Correa can anchor the middle of the order with consistent run production will dictate much of 2026.
General manager Dana Brown’s task is to blend experience with upside. Recent winters have shown how far teams will go for top-tier talent like Soto, Ohtani, and Judge combined for over $1.8 billion in deals. The Astros won’t operate in that financial stratosphere, but the path back to meaningful October baseball still exists. It will just require smarter spending than ever before.
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