Looking ahead to the MLB offseason, the Houston Astros will be a team that will potentially spend a lot of money to once again build a World Series contender.
Right now, they are a contender in the American League. However, they are not considered a serious World Series team. They are a team that has a good chance of making the postseason, but they are missing a few details when it comes to winning the championship.
Hopefully the Astros will prove that notion wrong. They are definitely one of the best teams in baseball right now.
Still, it’s never too early to look ahead to the offseason.
One position Houston is expected to target is starting pitcher. Justin Verlander will be a free agent and the team will have to make a decision about his future. He could be re-signed, but even then the Astros could look to sign more pitchers.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently compiled a list of possible destinations for Blake Snell, the San Francisco Giants’ soon-to-be free agent. Houston was on the list.
“Remember when the Astros were briefly linked to Snell? Pursuing him this winter would make more sense, given that Justin Verlander will be off their books and Framber Valdez will do the same after 2025. Then again, nine-figure free agent deals aren’t really Houston’s thing, as there has only been one $100 million deal in franchise history.”
Snell was one of the best pitchers in baseball in July and August, and if he continues to pitch at this level, he could entice a team like the Astros to pay more to get him.
Snell started four times in July, making no decisions but posting a 0.75 ERA, 30 strikeouts, seven walks and just two earned runs. He continued that level of play in August, when he started four times and went 2-0 with a 1.27 ERA, 40 strikeouts, nine walks and four earned runs.
At 31, Snell still has some gas left in the tank. With a contract of up to four years, he would be a good choice for Houston.
While it’s an interesting thought, the Astros will be competing with many other teams for his services if they’re interested. Snell will be one of the most popular names among free agents.
Still, it will be interesting to see what Houston does this offseason. Don’t be surprised if they are among the teams interested in signing Snell if the free agent opportunity arises.
