Astros' Dana Brown Addresses Key Offseason Goal at Annual GM Meeting

The Houston Astros' general manager was candid during his GM meeting.

Jun 28, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (left) and general manager Dana Brown (right) talk on the field before the game against the Chicago Cubs at Daikin Park. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

With the Houston Astros potentially losing free agent pitcher Framber Valdez, the franchise could be put into quite a predicament. The Astros are already coming off a grim season, having missed the postseason for the first time since 2016, and with Valdez eyeing the market, Houston has plenty of work ahead of it.

With hot stove season on the rise, discussions are heating up within each MLB franchise with one question at the forefront of their minds: how can they improve for their upcoming campaign?

To unpack this loaded question, goals for each team were identified at the annual general managers' meetings, and Astros' GM Dana Brown shared insight as to what he's looking for this offseason. Unsurprisingly, Valdez was a hot topic at the meeting.

Brown's Four Key Words

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Hypothetically taking Valdez out of the equation, Houston will have some serious gaps to plug. The 31-year-old southpaw has his name circulating around the Major Leagues right now, with a plethora of speculations looming as to where he could land. It goes without saying that his pitching durability would be a great loss for the Astros. With such a drastic move lurking, what's Brown's course of action?

Simply put, Brown's primary goal is to "get those innings back," as relayed by ESPN reporter Alden Gonzalez, in reference to Valdez presumably finding a new home elsewhere. Doing so will not be an easy task, but Houston is already equipped with a few players who could step up in his place.

"Valdez is arguably the best free agent starting pitcher in this class, and the Astros are not expected to bring him back," further reported by Gonzalez. "The hope, Brown said, is that having Cristian Javier for a full season after he made only 15 starts from 2024 to 2025 will help make up for Valdez's potential departure. Spencer Arrighetti, entering his age-27 season, could fill some of that void, too. But the Astros will also be in the market for middle-tier starters."

Major changes are heading toward Houston at this time, but after they endured such a disappointing season finale, it's clear that adjustments within the franchise must be made if they want to see a different outcome during their upcoming campaign. Of course, losing Valdez isn't the move that fans are rooting for, but there could be a silver lining in the chaos that is unfolding for the Astros.

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