Astros Named Great Fit to Land Struggling Buy-Low Free Agent Slugger

Could the Houston Astros bolster their infield by betting on the resurgence of a former star?

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The Houston Astros entered the offseason as a team expected to shake some things up following their first missed postseason appearance in nearly a decade.

A 2025 season which was marked by injuries, poor luck, stretches of cold play and overall frustration officially brought to an end Houston's run of domination over the American League. Now, it's up to general manager Dana Brown to re-tool some things to avoid a full rebuild.

The Astros will have to get creative to do that as the very top of the free agency class is likely not in the cards, but championships are won this time of year in the margins and getting value out of team-friendly deals.

If this team is looking for cheaper high-ceiling production, one player they could be a fit for is former San Francisco Giants first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr., who is available as a free agent. In an article this week, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report named Wade as a great potential fit for Houston.

Astros Could Be Tremendous Fit for LaMonte Wade Jr.

Mar 31, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; San Francisco Giants' LaMonte Wade Jr. hits against Houston Astros at Daikin Park | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

"Wade isn't ancient and he isn't far removed from posting a .376 OBP and 4.9 rWAR across 2023 and 2024," Rymer wrote. "Of all the candidates to be picked up on minor league deals this winter, he might be the one with the most upside."

Houston was named as a fit along with younger rebuilding teams like the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies, but if Wade wants the chance to compete for playing time on a playoff-caliber team, the Astros would be the best spot for him.

Christian Walker has been linked in the trade market heavily, and though there has not been a ton of real noise there to this point, Wade could serve as a cheaper alternative is they are able to move on from him.

Should Walker stay, Wade makes for an excellent cheap platoon option for Houston as well.

How Much Could Astros Realistically Expect Out of Wade?

Jun 11, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; LaMonte Wade Jr. fields in warmups before game against Houston Astros. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

To put it kindly, this past season was an ugly campaign for Wade. In June, he was designated for assignment by the Giants after 50 games and wound up with the Los Angeles Angels for another 30 appearances.

In those 80 games, the 31-year-old was responsible for a dreadful -1.7 bWAR with a slash line that read .167/.271/.254 in the worst season of his career. Still a solid defender though, he is not far removed from a solid 2.1 bWAR year in 2024.

Between 2023-2024, Wade slashed .258/.376/.401 with 25 home runs and 79 RBI in 252 games. If Houston believes he can get back to that version, not only would Wade be a wonderful depth piece, he'd even be an upgrade from what Walker brought in 2025.

Reality is likely somewhere in the middle, and Wade still has some quality baseball left in him. Should the Astros feel the same, they should absolutely be going after the slugger as a potential piece for the 2026 team.