With pitchers and catchers reporting for the Houston Astros, the team will be getting set for one of the most challenging years they have faced in a long time.
It was a wild offseason for the Astros this winter. Houston made some tough decisions with members of their core and shook things up.
For years, the Astros have been the team to beat in the American League. Before losing to the Detroit Tigers in the American League Wild Card Round, Houston made it to the ALCS for seven straight years.
Their ability to sustain success for so long has been truly impressive. While they have seen some key players leave in the past, this winter feels like it will be the most challenging for Houston.
The losses of Kyle Tucker via trade and Alex Bregman to free agency will be significant blows to the team. Both of these players have been some of the best at their positions over the past few years.
Now, uncertainty will be creeping in, and new players will have to step up to replace these core members of the franchise.
Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com wrote about the newly acquired Isaac Paredes not necessarily replacing their former star at the hot corner but making the loss a little bit easier to deal with.
“There is no replacing Bregman — not on this team, especially — but the Astros hope Paredes at least softens the blow,” he wrote.
In the trade with the Chicago Cubs, the Astros received three players in exchange for their star outfielder. Arguably, the headliner in the deal was Paredes. The talented infielder was able to make his first All-Star team in 2024, in a year he played with both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cubs.
The 25-year-old slashed .238/.346/.393 with 19 home runs and 80 RBI in total last campaign, but the numbers were certainly better with the Rays compared to Chicago.
However, even though the season was a bit lopsided in terms of production, getting a 25-year-old All-Star is an appealing part of a trade package.
While Paredes still has a ton of upside at his age, he won’t replace some of the intangibles or the defensive ability of Bregman at the hot corner.
The Gold Glover had an excellent career with Houston, and while he might not have been a superstar like Kyle Tucker, he was a core member of the title teams.
Despite his age, Paredes has played in four playoff games with the Rays. While the sample size is small, he did slash .455/.500/.545 in 11 at-bats.
The Astros will be hoping that Paredes can continue to be an All-Star caliber player for them at the hot corner for years to come. If he does, it will soften the blow of losing Tucker and Bregman this winter.