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The Houston Astros' 2025 roster is coming into focus and, as always, they should be major contenders in the American League West. That's whether or not they bring back homegrown third baseman Alex Bregman.
The Astros won 88 games last year, but their playoff run was short-lived as the Detroit Tigers swept them in two games in the AL Wild Card Series. After a transformational offseason that saw Kyle Tucker, Ryan Pressly and possibly Bregman exit, Houston has reloaded. General manager Dana Brown brought in Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker, among others, and still might not be done.
“We’re trying to get a left-handed bat for the outfield,” Brown said last week, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. “Most of the options are slim to none, but we’re still working through it and grinding to get some left-handed at-bats in our outfield.”
The options are slim, yes, but not none, if the Astros turn their attention to the trade market. Mike Yastrzemski has spent the offseason on the periphery of the MLB trade discussion, mentioned a few times as a candidate to move, but seemingly never in real danger of going anywhere.
That could change in an instant and he might be the best left-handed outfielder the Astros could hope to get right now, especially considering their depleted farm system. Here's what a Mike Yastrzemski trade to the Astros could look like.
Astros get: OF Mike Yastrzemski
Giants get: OF, A+ Kenni Gomez and RHP, AAA Miguel Ullola
Mike Yastrzemski comes with risk and potential for the Astros
Yastrzemski is coming off a solid season with the Giants, which earned him a one-year deal at $9.25 million as he and the team avoided arbitration. Going into his final season of team control, Yastrzemski could come to the Astros without saddling the team to a hefty contract or pushing them over the $241 million luxury tax threshold.
In 140 games for the Giants last year, Yastrzemski hit .231 with 18 home runs and a 110 OPS+. If Houston wants to use him in a platoon role with any of their handful of righty outfielders, it could work. All 18 of his home runs last season came off of righties and his OPS against them was nearly 100 points higher compared to against left-handed pitchers. Yastrzemski, who is 34, can play all three outfield positions and was a Gold Glove finalist last year.
Though Yastrzemski's 18 home runs in 2024 won't wow anybody, his power numbers could see a jolt with a move to the Astros. The Giants' Oracle Park ranks as one of the toughest ballparks for lefties to hit in, according to Baseball Savant's Park Factors (26th out of 30 parks). Minute Maid Park, home of the Astros, ranks 11th.
The Astros still have prospects to deal
The Astros' farm system doesn't have much to offer, to say the least. MLB.com ranked it as the worst in baseball last season, and with only one top-100 prospect (No. 59 Cam Smith), the Giants will need to take a couple chances for this trade to work.
The good news is that there's potential among the Astros' higher-rated prospects. It's hard to imagine Houston willing to deal Smith for someone like Yastrzemski — an average player throughout his career with just one year of team control. So put him aside for a second.
Ullola, who ranked as the organization's eighth-best prospect, per MLB.com, projects as a reliever in the majors with. the potential to develop an elite fastball. While his minor league numbers aren't eye-popping, he has consistently struck batters out, averaging 12.6 K's per nine innings through his professional career. Ullola struggles with his control, particularly when he reaches back on his four-seamer, but he has shown signs of being able to rein that in. Ullola also throws a slider, changeup and curveball, with his slider being his best secondary pitch.
He ended last season in Triple-A, making a Major League debut in 2025 reasonable.
As for Gomez, he's further down in the minors, so he won't be an impact player next season. He does, however, carry some intrigue.
Gomez hit .265 in A-ball last year with 13 stolen bases, going on a tear in August (.348 BA, .864 OPS) and earning a call-up to High-A Asheville. He kept hitting from there, batting .272 with seven steals over the final 20 games of the season.
