Houston Astros

There are a few concerns about the Houston Astros roster entering the season, but one of them is easily fixable. A season ago, the Astros were derailed by injuries more than most teams in Major League Baseball. The pitching staff has a chance to be very good when healthy, but given all of the guys in the rotation who have dealt with injuries throughout much of their careers, it's tough to say Houston should trust them to remain healthy. Now, fortunately, that doesn't mean the Astros need an ace.

A new team has emerged as a candidate to land superstar free agent Alex Bregman as his free agency continues.

Donald Ray Bryant Houston Astros Catcher Bats: Right Throws: Right Height: 6'5" Weight: 200 Born: July 13, 1941, Jasper, FL Signed: Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent, June 24, 1959 Major League Teams: Chicago Cubs 1966; Houston Astros 1969-70 Died: January 22, 2015, Jacksonville, FL (age 73) Steven Francis Shea Houston Astros Pitcher Bats: Right Throws: Right Height: 6'3" Weight: 215 Born: December 5, 1942, Worcester, MA Signed: Signed by the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent before 1961 season Major League Teams: Houston Astros 1968; Montreal Expos 1969 Died: March 4, 2015, North Hampton, NH (age 72) Don Bryant played briefly in the majors, but spent 13 seasons and 871

Barring anything changing, the likeliest outcome is for Alex Bregman to land with the Boston Red Sox or Detroit Tigers. There could be other suitors, but those are the two most involved, according to reports on the former Houston Astros star. Unless Houston is willing to give him an expensive deal, something the front office shouldn't do with how the roster is currently constructed, his time with the ball club seems to have ended. Regarding the Red Sox and Tigers, there's reason to believe both teams could be the ideal place for him to play.

The Detroit Tigers have had a quiet offseason following an unprecedented second-half surge got them into the postseason. The team has signed Gleyber Torres to fill the hole at second base, but they could use a big splash to establish themselves as the favorites to win the AL Central. Throughout the offseason, they have been linked to Alex Bregman. CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson listed them as a potential landing spot for the two-time World Series champion.

The Chicago Cubs have been one of the most active teams in baseball this offseason, with a bevy of trades and even some activity with free-agent signings. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has been busy on the phone lines, bringing in superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros, sending Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees, and signing Matthew Boyd and Colin Rea, among others in free agency. Despite the activity, there are Cubs fans who do not believe that it was enough to compete in 2025 and that the franchise could have done more to improve the product on the field. The National League Central is one of the weaker divisions in baseball, second only to the American League Central, and the Milwaukee Brewers have taken a step back this winter from where they stood going into 2024.

The Houston Astros have had a busy offseason and are coming out of the other side with a much lower payroll. MLB-data focused X-account BrooksGate shared a graph that showed each team's current tax payroll compared to last season. As of now, the Astros are sitting at just under $228 million. There is still a ways to go before the season, so some players could still be signed, but it would be shocking to see Houston make another move that featured a significant amount of salary.

The Houston Astros blockbuster trade with the Chicago Cubs, which saw star right fielder Kyle Tucker leaving town, was not received too well. Fans were disappointed to see another homegrown talent departing, especially one that has been as productive as Tucker has been. A 2024 first-round pick, he immediately became the team's No. 1 prospect and could turn this deal into a win for Houston if he lives up to expectations, especially if Tucker is one-and-done in Chicago.

The Houston Astros have had a strong run over the last decade and it isn't possible to sustain that without a couple of future all-time greats emerging. With the 2025 BBWAA Hall of Fame class set to be announced in just over a week, MLB's Mike Petriello looked around for the future inductees that are going to suit up next season. The Astros had three current players make the list. Altuve is Houston's best bet to make it and was put into the second tier of candidates, called "may as well start engraving those plaques."

Left-hander Caleb Ferguson and the Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a $3 million, one-year contract. The 28-year-old is 19-13 with five saves and a 3.68 ERA in 263 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Houston Astros. Ferguson split time between the Yankees and Astros last season, going 1-4 with a 4.64 ERA.

The 28-year-old had surgery on May 19, 2023, and made a pair of minor league appearances last year but was slow to bounce back.

The San Francisco Giants were looking for one additional pitcher to complete their rotation. They tried hard to get Corbin

The three-time Cy Young winner will turn 42 in February.

Texas is the fifth team for the left-handed hitter since he spent his first seven big league seasons with the Dodgers.

The New York Yankees have checked in on infield free agent Jorge Polanco, according to Mark W. Sanchez of the

It's been a wild winter so far, and several big names are still available in MLB free agency.

Walker's contract seemingly closes the door on Alex Bregman's time in Houston and a possible Astros trade for Nolan Arenado.

Walker became a free agent this offseason after eight years with the Arizona Diamondbacks.