The Houston Astros won the American League West this season, clinching their seventh MLB postseason appearance in row. It's a testament to the culture of success that the franchise has established that the season was still a disappointment.
After a 10-19 start to 2024, Houston found its footing, eventually winning 88 games behind a monster year from Yordan Alvarez and three front-end quality starting pitchers. First base, however, remained a problem throughout.
While the team started with veteran Jose Abreu at first, it quickly became clear that the 37-year-old was no longer up to the task. He hit .099 in April — a number that should be impossible for a Major League hitter, particularly a first baseman. The Astros gave him a month to try and work out his mechanics, letting him figure things out at their training facility and in the minor leagues.
When they brought him back in May, the improvements were minimal. Over his final 13 games with Houston, Abreu hit .167 with one walk and 10 strikeouts. The Astros released Abreu on June 14.
Jon Singleton was next up, and the lefty hitter was marginally better. But over 119 games, he still only hit .234 and was borderline unplayable against left-handed pitching (.145 BA, .457 OPS). Without much money tied up in Singleton (he made $800,000 in 2024 and is now arbitration eligible), Houston is free to look for a first baseman with a better bat.
The Astros could target free agent Pete Alonso, but in case they miss on him, there are still trade targets available. Houston ranked dead-last in the Majors in MLB's farm system rankings, published in mid-August, so don't expect them to be able to pull off anything too crazy.
Here's one trade the Astros could still make to instantly improve at first base.
The Astros should try to trade for Guardians 1B Josh Naylor
Josh Naylor has one season of team control remaining before he hits free agency, making him a prime candidate for Cleveland to trade, either this offseason or at the trade deadline.
It's tough to gauge his value. Naylor was an All-Star for the first time in 2024, as he hit 31 home runs with a .776 OPS. Last year, he was even better in shorter time. Over 121 games, he batted .308 with and .842 OPS.
On the other hand, Naylor is 27 years old and this was his first fully healthy season in the majors. He also comes with only one year of control, so no team is going to mortgage the farm to acquire him.
That puts the Astros in position to make a move. And while they don't have a great farm system, they do have some prospects who are near Major League ready. Two such players are Triple-A starting pitcher AJ Blubaugh and infielder Shay Whitcomb, who played 20 games for the Big League club in 2024. It's possible that the Astros would need to throw in one more prospect, but they could start here.
Blubaugh made 25 starts in Triple-A this year, going 12-4 with a 3.71 ERA. MLB ranked him as the Astros' ninth-best prospect in 2024, complete with a mid-90s fastball, low-80s changeup, upper-70s curveball, and a mid-80s sweeping slider. A reliever in college and the early portion of his pro career, Blubaugh still has to stretch out and get used to being a part of the rotation, but don't be surprised if he gets an MLB look next year, wherever he is.
As for Whitcomb, he's gone from Division II baseball to the Major Leagues in four years, though he didn't do much of note when he reached Houston, hitting for a .597 OPS over 41 at bats. He also had a four-error game at third base on September 25, his final game of the year. Still, he's a 26-year-old with Major League-level raw power and some speed that served him well in the minors.
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