The series of the Astros of consecutive Postseason performances ended in 2025. A bad second half, marked by a late sweep in the hands of the final division champion Mariners (in Houston, no less), the ‘stress on the outside is not for the first time since 2016. Despite a disappointing finish of the organization of the organization. In a conversation with reporters during a press conference of the season, general manager Dana Brown suggested that both he and manager Joe Espada would return in 2026.
Brown refused to give a final commentary on his own status and stated alone: ”I am the GM of the Astros, and that is what I would expect tomorrow, the next day and the next day” (“(Audiokink to the full press conference of 27 minutes, thanks to Sportstalk 790). On Espada he gave a clearer answer and stated: “Joe is the manager. Joe is under contract [for 2026]. “
Every change of change would at least be somewhat surprising. Brown was hired as general manager in January 2023 and only had three full seasons and two full offseasons in his current position. Espada was elevated to the Post Manager for the 2024 season, after the retirement of Dusty Baker. Although we have occasionally seen cases of managers and managers who have those short belts, most get a longer runway after they are on board a new organization on board.
It is possible that there will be some changes in the ladder. Brown promised on Sunday to perform a “full assessment” and “to think about the entire operation”. Changes in the coaching staff and/or on the front of the player development are not definitely excluded. “The season ended 48 hours ago,” said Espada. “We try to have conversations and see how we continue. We are now.”
With regard to the schedule itself, there will be a clear turnover. Framber Valdez And Victor Caratini are free agents. Houston has eligible a huge class of 14 eligible players. Mauricio Doubt” Bryan Abreu” Ramon Urias” Luis Garcia” Steven Okert And Isaac Paredes All this winter are eligible for the third time (Paredes as a Super Two player who is eligible again after the ’26 season after the ’26 season). Jesus Sanchez” Jeremy Foam” Chas McCormick And Jake Meyers are all eligible for the second time. Hunter Brown” Yainer Diaz” Bennett Sousa And Hayden Wesneski are eligible for the first time.
Not everyone from that group will of course return. Garcia suffered an important elbow injury late in the 2025 season. Urias and Sanchez struggled poorly after they had been taken over at the Handelsdeadline. McCormick made only 116 record performances and turned on the record in his second consecutive bad year.
Possible non-tender/trading candidates aside, the most consistent departure will be Valdez in the rotation of Houston since 2020. The astros will not close the door to a reunion, but Valdez is not ordering the type of long-term contract that the Astros have reserved under the ownership of the property of the property of the property of the property of the property of the property of the property of the owners of ownership of the owners of the owners’ property owners. Houston has not gone beyond $ 95 mm guaranteed to a pitcher under Crane, and that was to have a Reliever Josh Hader. Lance McCullers Jr.The fateful five -year extension of $ 85 mm is the biggest pact that Kraan has given to a starting pitcher.
‘I think it’s going with [Hunter] Brown, “the GM said when he was asked about his rotation.” We are going to have some conversations, as we have had in the past, with Valdez. We have a few young boys. We are going to see what they can do, and we will let a number of other boys come back from the IL. “
Both Brown and Espada praised the work that Cristian Javier did in his return of Tommy John Surgery and spoke about him as an important part of the 2026 rotation. Good Also Blubaugh was also mentioned as a potential factor for next year’s staff. McCullers praised the field before returning to the field after a difficult rehabilitation process that includes more than two years, but Brown only suggested that McCullers would compete for a job in the camp next year. The GM also suggested that he would be looking for extra starting pitching: “We will probably be on the market to trade for an arm.”
Again, nothing within Brown’s comments explicitly excludes the return of Valdez, but it is specifically remarkable to tackle the rotation to tackle the rotation. Houston already has just over $ 159 million on the Books 2026, Per scheduled resourceAnd that is before one of the arbitration class takes into account. Their 2025 payroll finished just under $ 225 million.
In addition to the rotation, catching help will be a priority. Brown noted that the Astros are ‘certainly’ interested in bringing Caratini back after a successful run in Houston. The Schakelhitting 32-year-old signed a two-year-old, $ 12mm deal prior to the 2024 season and appeared in 201 races during his two seasons, where he .263/.329/.406 cut the plate in 660 turns.
“If you don’t bring it back, you definitely need a backupvanger,” said Brown. “He is one of the best back updates in the competition. … He will be a free agent, so if he decides to go somewhere else, we have to be on the market for a backup -but we are absolutely interested in talking to him.”
It is a thin class of catchers in the free desk this winter, with Caratini, 35-year-old JT RealMuto And Danny Jansen Standing as the most striking names on the free agent market. The Astros do not need a starter behind the plate. Yainer Diaz, 27, was great in 2023-24 and hit .293/.318/.478 with 39 gays in 996 plate performances. He slid in ’25 and hit “alone” .256/.284/.417 with 20 gays, but that is enough productive for a catcher. In 2026 he can again be seen a significant part of the workload behind the plate, regardless of who is the other half of the catching tandem.
Given the thin stock backstops and the success of Caratini with the Astros, it is possible to catch the capture of the humble clubs Caratini can offer more playing time than Houston. That would be Brown and his staff looking for help behind the plate, as he referred; Cesar SalazarThe next March 30 is the only other catcher on the 40-man schedule of Houston and a Lauwe .213/.353/.353 Slaglijn in Triple-A this season in Triple-A in Triple-A.
Another remarkable storyline for Astros fans to follow this winter will be the progress of Hader, whose season ended in mid-August because of a capsule inflection in his shoulder. Brown revealed that the ‘consistent’ team had imaging on Hader’s shoulder and that the closer feels better and seems to be ‘moving in the right direction’. However, Hader still has to resume, and the Astros do not have a clear picture of his timetable for a return until he takes that step and they can gauge how his shoulder reacts. It is not yet clear when Hader could pick up a ball.
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