MLB Free-Agent Rankings Place Astros Just Outside the Top 10

This is promising for Houston in terms of landing free agents this offseason.

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This is a huge upcoming offseason for the Houston Astros for many reasons. The biggest might be centered around left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez and his future. The highly coveted free agent is likely to move on after reportedly meeting with prospective teams at the General Managers' meeting in Las Vegas earlier this week, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

While signs are pointing to him leaving, the Astros could easily replace him with San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease in free agency. Easier said than done, but finding another big starter behind Hunter Brown is a must.

As for other needs on the roster, Houston could look to address them through free agency, and according to Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report, the Astros are one of the better free agency destinations.

Houston Listed as a Good Free Agent Destination

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According to Rymer, Houston is a destination that is attractive to free agents and also that "excellent place for free agents to put down roots, as the city is affordable and Texas doesn't do taxes.'' He ranked them 11th out of the 30 MLB teams. Rymer also noted that the Astros' payroll in 2025 was $224 million and that it could rise to $231 million in 2026.

"That juxtaposition of those two numbers wouldn't seem to hint at an upcoming free-agent splurge, but never say never. The Astros have been teased for a run at Dylan Cease, and what really matters is that they have about $17 million in average annual value standing between them and the 2026 luxury-tax threshold,'' wrote Rymer.

"The Astros missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016, which fits into a pattern of diminishing returns. Yet they have done a good job of keeping their core fresh, and they stand to gain as much as any team from better health in 2026. Yordan Alvarez, for example, will hopefully be back after enduring a lost 2025 season,'' added Rymer.

Houston was on their way to the playoffs again this year, but a collapse happened, and the Seattle Mariners passed them late in the season. Factor in teams in the other divisions getting hot, and they were passed in the wild card race as well.

With that said, Houston is still a destination that can win and win quickly. Whether or not their payroll goes as high as Rymer predicted, expect them to be aggressive in free agency. The taste of missing the playoffs this past season is one that was sour and will drive them to be in a position to be back in the field next fall. This is a big winter for the front office, but they shouldn't have much of a problem attracting some key free agents.

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