An Alternate Baseball History (OOTP 21)

[progen]

In August, I thought you had a chance at playing .500 ball, but September must've been a rough month. Good luck in the offseason!

[ayaghmour2]

This is easily the best Astros team since they lost their entire roster, but the preseason predictions expects them to finish 72-90 and 19 games behind the 91-71 Los Angeles Angels. Yordan Alvarez is predicted to be the 3rd best hitter in the league and Forrest Whitley the 4th best pitcher.

Whitley is no longer considered a prospect, and the Astros system dropped all the way to 27th in the league. Their highest ranked prospect checks in at #40. That is Angelo Smith, who they took in the 8th Round in 2020. He actually looks really good, with an excellent repertoire and the potential to become a great starting pitcher. The 23-year-old lefty will start the season in A+ Fayetteville and is expected to arrive in the majors in 2024. They have two other prospects in the top 200 (OOTP 21 now shows up to 500 which is awesome!), RHP Thomas Wilhite 124) and 2B Oscar Castillo (180). Wilhite was the Astros 4th Round Pick in 2020 and Castillo was an International signing in 2020. Both are expected to join Smith in the majors in 2024. Castillo almost looks like a carbon copy of a young Altuve, but he has a little less power and a little more speed.

Looking at the pitching staff, the Astros have two legit effective starters in the young Forrest Whitley and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw. They'll side with Whitley for the Opening Day start even after his struggles last season. The bottom three of Beilak, Urquidy, Porcello isn't awful, but considering each have been at the top of the Astros rotation previously, it's a nice change of pace to see them in the second tier now. The pen looks average, with Givens, Kelly, and Ramirez the only three really worth mentioning, although the 24-year-old Bryan Abreu has some upside even if he's likely never going to start.

The lineup could be a strength, with Alvarez, Ozuna, and LeMaheiu all returning. After a strong rookie season, Chas McCormick looks like a building block out in right field even if he isn't the greatest defender. His ratings have gone up across the board, and he'll hit leadoff. They'll be debuting Ronnie Dawson at DH, who has a nice speed and power mix. Freddy Galvis is still an excellent defender and he offers decent offensive value as well. There aren't as many holes as the past, and the offense should finish in the top half of the league.

[ayaghmour2]

Record: 19-31 (5th, 10 GB)

Two months are in the books and I guess I was wrong about this Astros team. They have been awful, 10 games out of first place and over 10 games below .500. The Angels hold first at 30-22, but the 29-23 Athletics are just one game behind them.

The weirdest thing about the season is there is an Astros player hitting .314/.343/.598 (141 OPS+) with 13 homers and 40 RBI's. And it's not Yordan Alvarez. It's Freddy Galvis. Despite just 49 contact and 44 power, he's on pace to hit 42 homers and drive in 130 runs despite never reaching higher then 23 homers or 78 RBI's in his career. He's more then half way there after just two months in an Astros uniform. Alvarez is still having a good season, hitting .308/.379/.566 (145 OPS+) with 10 homers and 27 RBI's, but Galvis has shockingly been the best hitter thusfar. Chas McCormick is having a good season as well, hitting .327 (134 OPS+) with 7 homers, 11 steals, and 21 RBI's, but besides the top three, the offense has been awful. Ozuna is hitting just .184 (53 OPS+) with 6 homers and 21 RBI's and LeMaheiu has just 3 homers and 10 RBI's with a 85 OPS+.

On the mound, the vet Kershaw is 2-3 with a 3.26 ERA (149 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts in what is shaping out to be his best season since 2017. Forrest Whitley has been okay, 2-6 with a 4.36 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts, but he usually strikes out much more and he's still walking 4.5 batters per nine. Porcello has pitched poorly (88 ERA+) and Urquidy (89 ERA+) has been moved to the pen in favor of Tyler Beede, who was in the pen since being claimed from the Giants. He's made 2 starts, but has a 5.96 ERA (72 ERA+) and 1.40 WHIP in 35 innings split between both teams. Yohan Ramirez reclaimed the closer role, recording 8 saves and striking out 35 with 12 walks in 15.1 innings. His 1.17 WHIP is good, but his 4.70 ERA (103 ERA+) is just barely above average. Joe Kelly has looked good, working to a 3.92 ERA (124 ERA+), 0.92 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts in 20.2 innings.

It's shaping up to be a long season for the Astros, but they'll have the 11th overall pick in what looks to be a pretty decent draft class.

[ayaghmour2]

Record: 46-56 (4th, 9 GB)

The Astros had a great 16-11 June before slumping back in August, but they jumped ahead of the Rangers and are 9 back from the first place Angels (55-47). Oakland (53-51) is just 3 games back.

The draft brought some talent, selecting SP/LF Nick Wallersdt out of Arizona State with the 11th overall pick. He looks like an ace on the mound, but doesn't have much potential in the field. He's got pinpoint control and an excellent arsenal, and interesting enough he's not listed in their top 30 prospect list. 6th Rounder Wesley Scott, however, checks in at 14th and he looks more Jose Urquidy then Forrest Whitley. 9th Rounder Logan Savell ranks 22nd, and he doesn't even look like a future big leaguer. 2nd Rounder Mack Anglin, also not ranked, looks like a future middle of the rotation arm with his excellent stuff.

The Astros were busy on the trade front. The biggest deal happened in July, picking up catcher Yasmani Grandal from the White Sox for LF Ramiro Rodriguez and 1B Hector Pineda. Neither prospect is worth much, but Grandal is still a dependable catcher. He's an elite defender, and currently hitting .215/.326/.463 (104 OPS+) with 18 homers and 36 RBI's. He's under contract for $18.25 million this season and next season.
Next, they sent a pair of minor leaguers for another minor leaguer in LF Stuart Fairchild from the Reds. He's a decent corner outfielder with a good eye and extra base power. He's 26 and hasn't made his big league debut yet, but better then what they gave up, 24-year-olders, LF Jordan Brewer and SP Wilmer Contreras. They then made a bigger trade with the Mariners, picking up 3B Matt Carpenter and SP Hunter Milligan for SP Lupe Chavez, CF Juan Ramirez, and RP Anderson Reynoso. Chavez is the only prospect in the top 300, ranked 242nd. Milligan is just slightly worse then Chavez, but Matt Carpenter is the centerpiece. He's on a minimum deal, and hit .226/.329/.402 (95 OPS+) with 13 homers and 46 RBI's before the trade. Finally, they sent Matt Harvey (on a minor league deal) to the Reds for SS Miguel Hernandez the day before the deadline. He's nothing special, but better then Harvey for sure.

The Astros now have 7 hitters with 10 or more homers in their lineup, with McCormick (16), Galvis (18), Alvarez (30), Ozuna (17), Carpenter (16), LeMaheiu (16), and Grandal (18). Perez (12) and Clint Frazier (11), who they claimed off waivers from the Jays at the beginning of July. Galvis has cooled off a lot, hitting just .275/.302/.485 (101 OPS+) with 18 homers and 59 RBI's now. Alvarez, on the other hand, heated up significantly and is now hitting .348/.422/.676 (181 OPS+) with 30 homers and 72 RBI's. He's up for arbitration in the offseason and he's for sure ready for a major cash payout. LeMahieu's picked up performance as well, hitting .293/.356/.463 (113 OPS+) with 49 RBI's to go with his 16 homers. Chas McCormick continues his strong sophomore season with a 127 OPS+, 14 steals, and 43 RBI's.

Ace Forrest Whitley is currently hurt, 3-4 more week with shoulder tendinitis, but he's an effective 6-9 with a 4.14 ERA (121 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, and 110 strikeouts in 21 starts. Kershaw has been solid, 5-7 with a 4.03 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, and 106 strikeouts in 116 innings. For some reason they moved Yohan Ramirez to the rotation, and it hasn't quite worked. He's 3-3 with a 6.70 ERA (75 ERA+), 1.59 WHIP, and 83 strikeouts in 48.1 innings. He's walked 47 and saved 10 games. The only other starter doing okay is Brandon Bielak, and he's 10-8 with a 4.74 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, and 96 strikeouts in 112 innings. Joe Kelly has had a rough stretch as of late, working to a 7.07 ERA (71 ERA+), 1.49 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts in 35.2 innings pitched.

[ayaghmour2]

Record: 71-91 (4th, 23 GB)

Another disappointing season for the Astros and another divisional crown for the Angels who finished an impressive 94-68. The 122-40 Dodgers entered the postseason as the obvious favorites, but knowing the Dodgers, their season would likely end in a World Series loss. They fell to the 92-70 St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS, and the NL finally had a new World Series representative. They'd face the AL West best Angels, and Mike Trout finally got into the World Series he deserved.

The Angels looks to be the better team, but they don't have much pitching. Shoehi Ohtani is the clear ace and Andrew Heaney a distant #2, but the offense is powerful. With Ohtani, Trout, Rendon, Didi, Upton, and Nick Catellanos, they have six 20+ home run hitters and a decent supporting cast with Luis Renigfo, Reese McGuire, and Jesus Aguilar filling the rest of the lineup. The bullpen sucks, but closer Kirby Yates is as lockdown as it gets. The Cardinals have a lockdown closer of their on in fireballer Jordan Hicks, with Giovanny Gallegos, Josh Taylor, and Keone Kela filling up a dependable bullpen. Jack Flarehty leads a solid rotation (although he had his struggles) with Dakota Hudson, Ryan Hesley, and Miles Mikolas all well above average pitchers. The lineup isn't as strong, but their 2-3-4 of rookie Justin Toerner (real life 28th Round Pick in 2018), Nolan Arenado, and Dylan Carlson is as good as it gets and an aging Paul Goldschmidt at five still has pop. The Cardinals handeled business, however, taking the first two in Anaheim. The Angels battled back to take game 3 and 4 in St. Louis, but the Cardinals took game 5 to force elimination in Anaheim. Game 6 wasn't close, and the Cardinals took the World Series 4 games to 2 for their 12th World Series championship.

Back to the Astros, Yordan Alvarez (again) was by far the best player on the team. He hit 51 homers and drove in 108 runs while hitting .325/.410/.650 (171 OPS+) in the best season of his young career. He was one of seven 20 home run hitters in their lineup, the other six McCormick (20), LeMaheiu (22), Ozuna (31), Grandal (29), Frazier (26), and Galvis (21). Matt Carpenter also hit 22 off the bench between his time with Seattle and Houston. Grandal (117) and McCormick (114), however, were the only other hitters with above average offensive seasons, although Taylor Jones (133) was excellent in his limited time. Frazier and LeMaheiu both were just one percent below average.

On the mound, Forrest Whitley was the best of the pitchers. He went 7-11 with a 4.45 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, and 149 strikeouts in 141.2 innings in his first full season as a starter. Clayton Kershaw had an okay first (and probably last) season in an Astros uniform, going 8-13 with a 4.75 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, and 161 strikeouts in 174.1 innings. The bullpen was pretty awful, with Yohan Ramirez taking a huge step back. He had a 5.92 ERA (84 ERA+), 1.56 WHIP, and his BB/9 jumped to 8.5 and his K/9 fell to 16.4. He made 8 starts and saved 13 games, but the move to the rotation really hurt him. New acquisitions Joe Kelly (5.18 ERA, 96 ERA+) and Mychal Givens (6.14 ERA, 81 ERA+) didn't pan out, but July waiver claim Alex Lange (who was awful in Detroit) pitched really well for the Astros. In 63.1 innings for Houston, he had a sparkly 2.98 ERA (167 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts.

Looking down in the minor league system, #1 and #2 prospects Angelo Smith and Thomas Wihlite are on the upswing, with Smith ranked 39th and Wilhite 73rd. Smith is probably even better then the ranking, and he looks like a surefire #1 who can become one of the best pitchers in the league, something the Astros haven't had since the departure of Gerrit Cole. 11th Overall Pick Nick Wallerstedt should crack the top 100 once the new prospect rankings are published, but the Astros lack position player prospects. The best they have is SS Dauri Lorenzo who ranks 221st, but the 20-year-old is a long way from the big leagues and doesn't profile as much more then an average big league starter.

The offseason should be a busy one for the Astros, but they're more then a few pieces away from contention.

[ayaghmour2]

Options: SP Clayton Kershaw executed his $19.6 million team option

Awards: Platinum Stick at First Base: Yordan Alvarez

Players Lost to Free Agency: RP Kevin Shackleford, RP Ryan Mesigner, RP Joe Kelly, RP Mychal Givens, SS Addison Russell, 3B Matt Carpenter, C Salvador Perez

Notable Extensions: 1B Yordan Alvarez (1-year, $12.6 million)

Top Free Agents:
C Alex Avila (35, 131 HR, 476 RBI, 98 OPS+)
2B Jean Segura (32, 124 HR, 557 RBI, 231 SB, 103 OPS+)
CL Edwin Diaz (28, 19-35, 236 SV, 734 K, 147 ERA+)
SS Javier Baez (29, 197 HR, 603 RBI, 97 SB, 110 OPS+)
SP Jacob deGrom (34, 103-72, 1,855 K, 153 ERA+)
SP Chris Sale (33, 131-93, 2,492 K, 137 ERA+)
SS Trevor Story (30, 236 HR, 648 RBI, 114 SB, 117 OPS+)
SP Mike Clevinger (31, 73-42, 1,142 K, 132 ERA+)
CL Aroldis Chapman (34, 42-43, 375 SV, 1,208 K, 192 ERA+)
SP Max Scherzer (38, 197-107, 3,258 K, 133 ERA+)

The Astros let GM James Click walk, hiring rookie GM Kevin Clarke. He kept the staff the same, with Scott Austin managing (replaced Dusty after year 1 when he retired), Joe Espada as bench coach, Heathcliff Slocumb (started in 2021) as pitching coach, Troy Snitker as hitting coach, and Jeremiah Randall as team trainer. At the time of free agent filings, Clarke will have $74 million to spend on free agents and $121 million for extensions.

As do most teams who win just over 70 games, the Astros have a lot of room to upgrade. Forrest Whitley and Clayton Kershaw are the only semi-reliable arms in the rotation, and the pen is almost completely devoid of talent. Marcel Ozuna hasn't worked out, but they're stuck with him in left. DJ LeMaheiu has been better, but again, they're stuck with him at second. Alvarez (1B), Grandal (C), and McCormick (RF) are all dependbale starters and they don't need a DH with Clint Frazier there. Same with Freddy Galvis at short. An upgrade at 3B and CF will likely be of high prioirty, but I hope the Astros focus on creating some sort of pitching staff.

Lucky for them, there is a ton of pitching available, headlined by top starters in Sale, deGrom, Clevinger, and Scherzer with excellent relief options in Chapman, Diaz, Josh Hader, Felipe Vasquez, and Taylor Rogers. There isn't a second teir for starters, but there are some dependable middle relievers the Astros can piece together for their pen if they miss out on the big fish.

There isn't much available at third or center, with Miguel Sano and Ender Inciarte the only real options there. No one else is really better then the incumbent Yairo Munoz and Braden Bishop.

The new signability feature is cool as well, with Sale and Clevinger listed as very easy and deGrom as easy, so perhaps they could add all three and have a dominant rotation. They have the funds to do it, but will the rookie GM make the gamble?

[ayaghmour2]

December
Traded CF Braden Bishop to the Royals for RP Zack Britton and 3B Bobby Witt Jr.

Before looking at the players, this trade looks like an absolute steal. A dependable reliever and a former #2 overall pick for an average at best center fielder. And even in this OOTP universe, it's still a brilliant trade especially considering it's the Rookie GM's first trade. Witt is rated the #45 prospect in all of baseball and he looks like a future stud similar to a young Alex Bregman. The 22-year-old as a few years before he's ready fr the big leagues, but the Astros finally got a good offensive prospect they needed so bad. Britton is icing on the cake, as the lefty is making an affordable $6.4 million and will likely pitch the 8th for the Astros. He's coming off an excellent season with a 2.95 ERA (170 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, and 52 strikeouts out of the Royals pen. And all they gave up was a glove first outfielder they claimed off waivers from the Mariners midseason. His final batting line? .257/.314/.357 (77 OPS+). I wish they did more in the first month of the offseason, but at least they made a great trade like this.

January
Signed Kevin Shackelford to a 1-year, $920,000 contract

Well...

Nothing to see here...

Almost all the good free agents are gone and the Astros just sat on their hands. Why would a team with $100 million only make one signing? The AI really puzzles me sometimes...

February
Signed SP Yonny Chirinos to a 1-year, $1,860,000 contract
Signed RP Dylan Floro to a 1-year, $610,000 contract

Two minor signings here, but at least Chirinos is an upgrade of what they have in the rotation. The control artist did spend his whole season in AAA Durham, but he's under control through arbitration and better then incumbent #5 Tyler Ivey. Floro, another control specialist, hasn't pitched in the majors since 2019. Expect a lot of Astros losses next season...

[ayaghmour2]

I can't imagine the Astros being better this year then last, but the preseason predictions have them finish in second place behind the Angels. They think the Astros are going to finish 87-75, good for the second Wild Card with the Angels 93-69. I thought the predictions last year were crazy too, but they got the Astros record perfectly correct. Perhaps they'll be right again this year? Yordan Alvarez checks in fifth for position players with Forrest Whitley third for pitchers.

The farm system is also the best it's ever been, ranked 10th in the league and the Astros have three top 100 prospects. The recently acquired Bobby Witt Jr. (10th), last year's #1 Angelo Smith (38th), and last year's 1st Rounder Nick Wallerstedt (64th). Thomas Wilhite (104th) and Dauri Lorenzo (114th) just missed the top 100 and last year's 2nd Rounder Mack Anglin (287th) is the only other in the top 300. This should be the year we see both Smith and Wilhite make their major league debuts after being selected in the 2020 draft and both have higher upside then any non-Forrest Whitley Astro pitcher.

Speaking of Astros pitchers, Forrest Whitley leads an uninspiring rotation of Rick Porcello, Yonny Chirinos, Clayton Kershaw (age caught up with him), and Tyler Ivey. Maintstay Brandon Bielak finds himself in AAA, but I think that's just because he has options left. The bullpen is just as uninspiring, as after closer Yohan Ramirez and setup man Zack Britton, it's a rag tag group of waiver claims, failed starters, and some what promising failed starter/multi inning lefty Ryan Hartman, who's control is developed, but his movement and stuff still has ways to go, even though he's nearly 29.

The offense will be led by all world superstar Yordan Alvarez, and he has some support in guys who should be above average starters. Yasmani Grandal is playing out a contract year behind the plate, Marcell Ozuna (who they wish was in a contract year) and Chas McCormick are dependable corner outfield options and they boast a strong defensive middle infield in DJ LeMaheiu and Freddy Galvis, even though neither offers too much at the plate. Third base and center field are weakspots, but they finally committed to slugger Taylor Jones at DH. Knowing the Astros, however, they'll find a way to end him to the bench or AAA in favor of the "next big thing" they find on the waiver wire.

According to OSA, the Astros look poised to break their playoff drought in 2023, and the three remaining Astro fans get ready for baseball!

(I'm kidding of course, they actually still have 100 fan interest and very good loyalty with predicted attendance per game and revenue per game up over 12%)

[ayaghmour2]

Record: 30-20 (2nd, 0.5 GB)

Wow! This one shocked me! The Astros are 30-20 and just half a game out of first place while the defending AL Champion Angels are 21-31 and 10.5 behind the first place 31-20 first place Athletics.

Lots of surprises early on, starting with an impressive showing from the only free agent acquisition Yonny Chirinos. He's 6-3 with a 2.70 ERA (181 ERA+), 1.06 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts in his 10 starts so far. Forrest Whitley is the only starter other then him that's been doing well, 3-1 with a 3.84 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, and 73 strikeouts in his 11 starts. Thomas Wilhite made his big league debut, and has been effective in three starts so far. He's 1-0 with a 3.15 ERA (155 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts. Clayton Kershaw made just one start before moving to the pen. He has a 4.24 ERA (116 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts in 34 innings. Yohan Ramirez got hurt, so Zack Britton took the closer role. It's been a struggle for him, with a 5.40 ERA (91 ERA+) and 1.33 WHIP in 16 strikeouts.

On the offensive side, Marcell Ozuna has looked like himself for the first time in an Astros season. He's hitting .287/.345/.517 (123 OPS+) with 12 homers and 40 RBI's. Yordan Alvarez has been hitting well, of course, hitting .303/.388/.605 (156 OPS+) with 16 homers and 43 RBI's. Chas McCormick is one of the few hitters not having a good year, he's hitting .220/.323/.390 (88 OPS+) with 7 homers and 14 RBI's. Yairo Munoz could be breaking out, as he's hitting .275/.322/.550 (124 OPS+) with 9 homers, 4 steals, and 30 RBI's.

There's a lot of season left, but the Astros do have a nice 2.5 game lead on the Red Sox for the #1 Wild Card spot and a half game out of first. This may be the season the Astros return to the playoffs!

[ayaghmour2]

Record: 60-42 (1st, 4 GA)

Well look who's leading the AL West? That's right, the Houston Astros! They hold a 4 game lead on the resurgent 56-46 Angels and 57-47 Athletics. Seattle (48-55) and Texas (40-61) are way out of it, but we will have a good three team divisional race throughout the rest of the season.

Starting with the draft, the Astros selected SP Danny Alcorta with the 7th Overall pick, but then did the unthinkable. They released him after just 2 rookie league starts. It's an awful, awful mistake as Alcorta has the potential to be an impact starter and every other prospect in their system is worse then him (except maybe Angelo Smith and Bobby Witt). 2nd Round Pick and third basemen Tim Shriver was not released, and he looks like a future big league starter. Another notable pick was 22nd Rounder Raul Ibanez Jr., not be cause of his talent, but because of his father.

The bullpen has dealt with a lot of injuries, as Yohan Ramirez, Zack Britton, Clayton Kershaw, and Bryan Abreu are all on the DL. May minor league signing Trevor May is the current closer, but with Houston his 6 saves, 6.30 ERA (78 ERA+), and 1.65 WHIP leave a lot to desire. He has struck out 31 in 20 innings, however, but it would have been nice to see them pick up a reliever before the deadline. Behind May, really just Alex Lange and Jordan Lyles can be depended on. Lange has a 2.79 ERA (177 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, and 48 strikeouts in 48.1 innings while Lyles has a 3.63 ERA (136 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, and 70 strikeouts in 52 innings.

Forrest Whitley has been strong atop the rotation, going 8-3 with a 3.74 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, and 141 strikeouts in 22 starts. Yonny Chirinos has been dependable as well, 10-5 with a 3.49 ERA (141 ERA+), 1.01 WHIP, and 88 strikeouts in 113.1 innings. Rookie Thomas Wilhite has been good as well, 5-5 with a 4.07 ERA (121 ERA+), 1.11 WHIP, and 71 strikeouts in 77.1 innings. Like the pen, they could've used another starter, as Brandon Bielak and Rick Porcello have been below average and you need four starters in the postseason. Top pitching prospect Angelo Smith is waiting in AAA, but he's over matched there so far and his 3rd pitch still hasn't developed enough.

It goes without saying, but Yordan Alvarez has been excellent. He's hitting an impressive .310/.394/.646 (167 OPS+) with 35 homers and 97 RBI's. Former big signings Marcell Ozuna and DJ Lemahieu are also helping the cause, with 24 homers and 83 RBI's and 20 homers and 62 RBI's respectively. Ozuna has a nice .272/.326/.500 (113 OPS+) slash with LeMaheiu's at .285/.329/.487 (111 OPS+). Grandal isn't too far behind them, hitting .238/.349/.453 (109 OPS+) with 16 homers, 46 RBI's, and an excellent showing behind the plate. The lineup isn't without it's holes, but the only starter with a sub 94 OPS+ is the light hitting CF Carlos Tocci's 84 and he's a defense first type of player anyways.

There's still two months of baseball to be played, but you have to like how things are shaping out for the Astros. and only the Blue Jays (62-39) own a better record in the AL. It'll be a fun rest of the season for all the simulated Astro fans!

[ayaghmour2]

Record: 93-68 (1st, 3 GA)

I don't know how they did it, but the Houston Astros took home the 2023 American League West Division. The A's, Rays, and Angels are locked in a three way tie for the two wild card spots and the 78-83 Indians and Twins are tied for first in the AL Central, with the winner heading to Minute Maid Park for the ALDS.

It was a crazy season and the offense was part of what made it great. All eight starters hit double digit homers and of course Yordan Alvarez was the team's triple crown leader. It was an excellent season for the 26-year-old who hit .310/.394/.639 (166 OPS+) with 53 homers and 135 RBI's. He was one of three 30 home run hitters, the other two Ozuna and Grandal. Ozuna hit .277/.333/.491 (114 OPS+) with 35 homers and 108 RBI's in the first season of his 6-year contract where he actually performed somewhat up to expectations. Grandal actually had a better OPS+ (119), hitting .238/.347/.495 with 31 homers and 84 RBI's in what could be his last season in an Astros uniform. Rookie LF Stuart Fairchild had a solid season as well, hitting .246/.343/.453 (108 OPS+) with 11 steals, 20 homers, and 74 RBI's. The last notable performer was the 35-year-old LeMaheiu who hit .286/.335/.473 (110 OPS+) with 27 homers and 91 RBI's.

Brandon Bielak turned things around to turn into a decent #3, going 14-5 with a 4.28 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, and 160 strikeouts in 30 starts. Forrest Whitley pitched like an ace, 13-6 with a 3.87 ERA (126 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, and 210 strikeouts in 188.1 innings pitched. Rookie Thomas Wilhite may have been the best in the rotation, going 12-7 with a 3.71 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, and 156 strikeouts in 155.1 innings pitched and he took home the August Rookie of the Month award. The #4 Yonny Chirinos did gave them another above average pitcher, as he finished 11-11 with a 4.26 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.04 WHIP, and 144 strikeouts with just 24 walks in 184 innings. This is by far the best rotation the Astros have had since the 2019 season, and it could make them dangerous in the postseason.

The bullpen isn't too bad, but Britton and Ramirez are back. Britton had a rough year, going 3-4 with 16 saves, a 5.59 ERA (87 ERA+), 1.62 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts in 38.2 innings. Ramirez faired much better, albeit in just 18.1 innings, saving 7 games, striking out 29, and working to a 2.95 ERA (165 ERA+) and 1.31 WHIP. There's another decent setup man in that pen in Trevor May, who finished his time with Houston 7-1 with 10 saves, a 3.61 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts in 42.1 innings. Both Alex Lange (2.62 ERA, 186 ERA+) and Jordan Lyles (2.81 ERA, 174 ERA+) were dependable long relievers and could be crucial once the postseason starts.

They aren't the best team in the majors, that would probably be the 101-60 Blue Jays, Dodgers, or Braves. But, once the postseason happens, anything is possible and you can't count this team out.

[ayaghmour2]

The Padres topped the Diamondbacks 6-1 in the NL Wild Card game and the Athletics shutout the Angels 1-0 int he AL version. The Braves will host the Padres and the Blue Jays will host the Athletics. The Astros will host the Tigers, who beat the Indians in the tiebreaker. The reigning champion Cardinals will head to LA to face the Dodgers.

The Dodgers swept past the division champs while all three other series went to five games. The Braves held off the Padres, the Athletics upset the Blue Jays, and the Astros managed to sneak past a team that didn't really deserve to get to the playoffs.

Unfortunately for the Astros, the Athletics had no trouble with them, and swept right past them. They'll face the Dodgers, who beat the Braves in five games.

A team from the AL West will represent the AL for the second straight year, and unfortunately, it isn't the Astros. All four Athletics pitchers are far above average, with ace Jesus Luzardo (15-11, 119 ERA+) and A.J. Puk (10-6, 145 ERA+) lead the staff. Both Sean Manaea (10-7, 123 ERA+) and Brady Fiegl (7-8, 114 ERA+) are solid enough to keep the A's in any game. The offense isn't great, but Matt Olson is as dangerous as it gets. He hit 54 homers and 133 RBI's with a 163 OPS+. Matt Chapman launched 34 homers and drove in 111 runs, but had just an 85 OPS+. Ramon Laureano (111 OPS+, 21 HR, 60 RBI) was the only other above average hitter on the team.

On the other side, the perennial NL champion Dodgers are as stacked as ever in their lineup. They still have Mookie Betts, who hit 40 homers, drove in 107 runs, and had a nice 132 OPS+. They have four other hitters with 30 or more homers, Cody Bellinger (39 HR, 115 RBI, 154 OPS+), Gavin Lux (37 HR, 124 RBI, 150 OPS+), Max Muncy (39 HR, 108 RBI, 139 OPS+), and Joc Pederson (32 HR, 100 RBI, 101 OPS+). Defensive star Will Smith (72 OPS+) is the only hitter in the lineup who didn't have an OPS+ above 100. The pitching is good, but only half of the rotation is dependable with Walker Buehler (14-2, 139 ERA+) and swingman Julio Urias (5-3, 155 ERA+). The pen isn't great, but offseason pickup Josh Hader (35 SV, 144 ERA+) is a dominant closer and much better then anything the Athletics have.

The A's didn't put up much of a fight, and the Dodgers swept right past them. It's a disappointing end of the season, as I have to think the Astros would have put up a better fight. Then again, I feel like the Dodgers would have extra motivation if they had to face the Astros again.

[ayaghmour2]

Awards:
1B Yordan Alvarez: Platinum Stick at 1B

Manager of the Year:
Scott Austin

Notable Extensions:
SP Forrest Whitley (5 years, $38,420,000)
1B Yordan Alvarez (1 year, $17,800,000)
LF Clint Frazier (1 year, $4,560,000)
1B Taylor Jones (1 year, $4,360,000)
SP Yonny Chirinos (1 year, $4,200,000)

Notable Free Agents Lost:
C Yasmani Grandal (declined qualifying offer)
RP Jordan Lyles
CL Zack Britton
RP Trevor May
SP Rick Porcello

Top Free Agents:
3B Mike Moustakes (35, 334 HR, 917 RBI, 114 OPS+)
SP Yu Darvish (37, 104-86, 2,006 K, 1.20 WHIP, 119 ERA+)
SP Tyler Glasnow (30, 53-54, 1,107 K, 1.25 WHIP, 118 ERA+)
SS Marcus Semien (33, 203 HR, 668 RBI, 142 SB, 106 OPS+)
C Gary Sanchez (30, 279 HR, 644 RBI, 120 OPS+)
C Yasmani Grandal (35, 247 HR, 701 RBI, 114 OPS+)
SP Sonny Gray (34, 121-106, 1,792 K, 1.26 WHIP, 113 ERA+)
SP Blake Snell (30, 92-48, 1,448 K, 1.20 WHIP, 149 ERA+)
SP Luis Severino (29, 48-35, 775 K, 1.24 WHIP, 121 ERA+)
1B Max Muncy (33, 241 HR, 614 RBI, 142 OPS+)

The Astros will look to defend their AL West title, and have over $120 million to spend. There are a ton of excellent relievers available and I expect them to try to poor out a lot of money on some of the top guys available. They have a few holes to fill, starting with the pen, a #5 starter, an outfielder (or two), a catcher, and third basemen. It should be a fun second offseason for the second year GM as he looks to bring the Astros back to the postseason and closer to their second title.

[ayaghmour2]

December
Signed C Gary Sanchez to a 7-year, $180,600,000 contract
Signed RP Alex Colome to a 2-year, $2,240,000 conract
Signed SP Yu Davrish to a 2-year, $30,800,000 contract
Signed 3B Mike Moustakes to a 3-year, $53,400,000 contract
Signed RP Amir Garrett to a 2-year, $2,000,000 contract
Signed RP Pierce Johnson to a 1-year, $2,420,000 contract

What a buys December! The big signing happened almost immediately into the offseason, signing Gary Sanchez to a huge contract that will pay him until he's 38. It's probably gong to end up hurting them, but for a team that made it to the ALCS, signing the 3rd best catcher in the league. Sanchez came off a down season, hitting .218/.301/.516 (109 OPS+), but it was the third season in his career with 40 or more homers and 100 or more RBI's.

Sanchez wasn't the only 40 homer and 100 RBI hitter they added, adding third basemen Mike Moustakes to a big 3-year deal. He's finishing off an impressive four year career with the Reds where he had OPS+ with numbers of 161, 136, 147, and 114 with 152 homers and 358 RBI's and three of the four seasons he had a WAR above 4.0. The lineup just got a whole lot stronger, as Sanchez and Moustakes end up extending the lineup further while sliding into the four and five spot.

The next big move went to the rotation, adding a player that will never be a Dodger in real life, Yu Darvish. He just rapped up a two year stint with the Phillies, although the second was an injury shortened year after a league leading 34 the year before. He had two decent season, but his 119 and 112 ERA+ are down a bit from years before. At 37, he's still a really dependable starter and will be an excellent #3 behind the youngsters Whitley and Wilhite.

They also added a bunch of relievers in Amir Garrett, Pierce Johnson, and Alex Colome. They aren't great, but they are improvements on what they had. They still have a lot of of money to spend (and a lot in offer) and I'm excited to see what the rest of the offseason has in store.

January
Signed RP Joe Kelly to a 1-year, $4,440,000 contract
Signed RP Carson Smith to a 1-year, $1,260,000 contract
Traded LF Clint Frazier to the Minnesota Twins for CL A.J. Minter and SP Michael Prosecky
Signed SP Luke Weaver to a 1-year, $4,480,000 contract

Getting Minter was big, adding a guy with a 1.38 ERA (335 ERA+), 0.90 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts in 39 innings with the Braves and Twins. Not only that, Prosecky is actually a really decent pitching prospect who checks in at 5th on the Astros prospect list. Minter will close games while former Astro Joe Kelly will return after a year with Detroit and a year with Milwaukee. He did really poor with the Brewers, but he should still be a dependable option out of the pen for them.

Weaver will slot into the five spot after finishing a 5-year stint with the Diamondbacks. For his career, he's 60-58 with a 4.44 ERA (98 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, and 925 strikeouts in 190 games (178 starts). He's not a great starter, but he's a high control inning eater who can give you a decent start with a sprinkle of excellent starts mixed in.

Smith will miss the next 4 months with a torn UCL, and if he can still sort of pitch after, it might not be a bad signing.

March
Signed RP Edwin Diaz to a 1-year, $9,700,000 contract

As Spring Training was winding down, the Astros made a huge signing, adding Edwin Diaz to their pen and instilling him as the closer. Diaz has 266 career saves, a 3.29 ERA (140 ERA+), 1.05 WHIP, and 855 strikeouts in 503.1 innings. Since his fiasco in the real 2019 season, he's added an 100 ERA+ or better each season, spending 2020-2022 with the Mets and last year as the Cardinals closer. He's still an elite relief pitcher and just 30, and gives the Astros a dependable guy to pitch the 9th for the first time in years.

This was a really good offseason for Houston, and this could be the year they return to the World Series. They made their first playoff appearance far quicker then I would have expected and I'd say anything is possible for this season.

[ayaghmour2]

The Astros will look to defend their AL West title, but the preseason predictions don't have much faith in that. They think the Astros will finish 77-85 and in dead last, 10 games behind the Athletics who won the ALCS in the previous season. In between are the Angels, Mariners, and Rangers, 4, 5, and 9 games out of first respectively. Yordan Alvarez checks in at 4th in the AL for hitters and Forrest Whitley checks in at 5th for pitchers.

The Astros system is down to 16th in the league, led by 3B Bobby Witt Jr. (37th), SP Angelo Smith (41st), 3B Tommy Shriver (70th), and SS Dauri Lorenzo (96th). Shriver was their 2nd Round Pick last season and Laurenzo was an International Free Agent from 2019. They don't have anyone in the 100-200 range, but SP Nathan Fink, their 7th Rounder in 2022 ranks 235th and 2022 5th Round Pick 2B Ian Ritchie ranks 287th. Smith and Laurenzo are expected to make their debut this year (although Smith was supposed to last season as well) and Witt should be up the following.

Looking at the pitching staff, both Yu Darvish and Thomas Wilhite are starting the season on the DL (which probably impacts their preseason predictions). In their place, Alex Lange and Yonny Chirinos will fill the 4th and 5th spot. Star Forrest Whitley will lead the rotation once again with Brandon Bielak behind him looking to put up another solid season. Luke Weaver will round out the rotation and likely retain his job once Darvish and Wilhite return.

The pen looks as good as ever, with a dominant closer in Edwin Diaz locking down the 9th inning. A.J. Minter and Pierce Johnson pitching the 7th and 8th with Yohan Ramirez a dependable middle relief option. The rest of the pen doesn't look too good, but the group of Joe Kelly, Ryan Hartman, Jose Urquidy, and Tyler Ivery shouldn't be too bad.

The lineup is power packed, with two legit superstars in Yordan Alvarez and Gary Sanchez. Behind them, both Mike Moustakes and Marcel Ozuna could reach 35 homers or more. With Chas McCormick in right and DJ LeMaheiu at second, they have two more contact oriented guys who won't strike out too much. The bottom three in the lineup, Stuart Fairchild, Freddy Galvis, and Carlos Tocci doesn't inspire too much confidence, but they're all solid defenders. Fairchild hits well too, while the other two won't kill you with the bat.

I can't see the Astros finishing below .500 this year, but anything can happen 162 games from now and my predictions have regularly been wrong.

[ayaghmour2]

Record: 27-24 (3rd, 6 GB)

It was a disappointing start to the season for the Astros, as they find themselves just 3 games over .500. It started with a rough 10-12 April, followed by a much more impressive 17-12 May that brought them back into the postseason race. They're 6 behind the Angels (33-18), but just 1 game out of the second wild card.

The pitching has been awful, and it doesn't hurt that both Thomas Wilhite and Brandon Wielak are both out for the season. Bielak wasn't having a good year, but Wilhite was 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts in 40 innings. The only healthy starter pitching well, Forrest Whitley, is 3-3 with a 4.19 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, and 82 strikeouts. Darvish (71 ERA+), Weaver (89 ERA+), and Chirinos (66 ERA+) are all having rough seasons, but help could be on the way in the form of Angelo Smith. Called up when Wilhite hit the DL, he made his first big league start. He went just 3 innings, walking 2, striking out 2, allowing a hit, and a run in his start.

The pen has had a rough season as well, starting at the top with Edwin Diaz. He does have 11 saves and 25 strikeouts in 17.1 innings, but with a 1.50 WHIP, 8.31 ERA, and 57 ERA+. Yohan Ramirez has done even worse, with a 2.08 WHIP, 19 walks, an 11.08 ERA, and 43 ERA+ despite 24 strikeouts in 13 innings. It hasn't been all bad, as lesser relievers like Carlos Estevez (134 ERA+), Ryan Hartman (245 ERA+), and Jose Urquidy (148 ERA+).

The offense has done well, however, with all starters hitting 5 or more homers and Alvarez (14), Sanchez (14), and Moustakes (12) all have double digit homers. Of course Alvarez is having the best season, hitting .295/.395/.558 (151 OPS+) with the 14 homers and 45 RBI's. Sanchez has been excellent as well, with his 137 OPS+ and 31 RBI's also impressive. Chas McCormick has had a nice bounceback year, hitting 7 homers, 22 RBI's, and recording a 120 OPS+. It hasn't been all good, as Marcell Ozuna has had his worst season of his career. He's hitting just .227/.267/.402 (75 OPS+) with just 5 homers and 16 RBI's.

There is a lot of baseball left to be played and the Astros are still very much in the hunt.

[progen]

The Angels have taken off. But, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Good luck!

[ayaghmour2]

Record: 50-53 (3rd, 16 GB)

The wheels fell off in July, as the Astros went 8-16 to fall to three games below .500 and well out of the postseason race. The Angels (65-36) have a 10.5 game lead over the A's (55-47) and a 16 game lead over the Astros.

The Astros also decided not to release their #1 pick this time, selecting CF Billy Dubois 27th overall. He's an athletic outfielder with excellent gap power and home run power with the future to be a big league starter. Center field is definitely a weakness for the team, so he's a perfect pick for them. They had a pair of 2nd Rounders, 2B Joe Charters and RF Kurt Angelini, but neither really look that great. They didn't have a 3rd, 4th, or 5th round pick, so my guess is this draft won't bring much for them.

The pitching has been awful, and even Forrest Whitley is in the middle of a rough season. He's 4-7 with a 4.83 ERA (99 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, and 163 strikeouts in 119.1 innings. Darvish has a near identical 4.84 ERA (98 ERA+) and 1.40 WHIP with 60 strikeouts in just 70.2 innings. Luke Weaver has had it even worse, 6-8 with a 5.56 ERA (86 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, and 83 strikeouts in 123 innings in likely (hopefully) his last season in Houston. Angelo Smith is set to return, as he got hurt after just 5 starts with a 4.74 ERA (100 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts in 24.2 innings across 5 starts.

Edwin Diaz has continued his rough season, with a 6.55 ERA (73 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, and 51 strikeouts with 14 saves in 33 innings. A.J Minter (96 ERA+), Yohan Ramirez (82 ERA+), Yonny Chirinos (89 ERA+), and Jose Urquidy (79 ERA+) have all been below average and have all thrown 30 or more innings. Pierce Johnson has been the one bright spot, working to a 2.61 ERA (183 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in 38 innings. Other then him, only Ryan Hartman has pitched well, working to a 2.82 ERA (169 ERA+), 0.97 WHIP, and 70 strikeouts in 67 innings.

At the plate, Yordan Alvarez had a shockingly disappointing year, with just a .287/.375/.507 (134 OPS+) batting line with 18 homers and 62 RBI's. Still a really good season by normal standards, but a huge drop off for someone as good as him. He's still the best of the bunch, with Gary Sanchez (125 OPS+, 30 HR, 66 RBI) the only player with a 110 or higher OPS+. Mike Moustakes has had a disappointing first season, hitting just .213/.270/.470 (93 OPS+) with 24 homers and 65 RBI's. Chas McCormick has been decent, however, hitting 13 homers, driving in 38 runs, and stealing 19 bases with a 108 OPS+.

They made just one trade (an awful one honestly), sending CF Carlos Tocci and CL Ian Ritchie to the Tigers for RP Erick Fedde and 2B Dillon Kark. Ritchie has the highest potential and Tocci has the most current ability. Fedde is a 31-year-old filler reliever and Kark's potential is a minor league journeyman.

[ayaghmour2]

Record: 78-83 (3rd, 17 GB)

It was a disappointing season for the Astros, who went from AL runner ups to back under .500 and missed out on the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. The Angels (95-66) were the only team in the West who finished above .500, as they reclaimed the West.

Both Yordan Alvarez (41, 112) and Gary Sanchez (47, 102) surpassed the 40 homer and 100 RBI mark, but Alvarez 146 OPS+ was much hiter then Sanchez' 112. Chas McCormick may have had a better season then Sanchez, hitting .269/.356/.458 (114 OPS+) with 24 homers, 25 steals, and 77 RBI's. The only other above average hitter in the lineup was LeMaehiu with his 104 OPS+, 20 homers, and 61 RBI's. Mike Moustakes had his worst season since 2014, hitting just .219/.287/.452 (92 OPS+) with 34 homers and 81 RBI's.

The starters were very dissapointing, with Weaver, Darvish, and Smith all posting ERA's above 5. Darvish was the best of the three, with a 91 ERA+, 1.50 WHIP, and 104 strikeouts while Weaver allowed a league best (worst?) 46 home runs. Thomas Wilhite (who I found out I have in an online league although he's not nearly as good) came back for the end of the year, finishing the season 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts in 7 starts. Forrest Whitley was just average atop the rotation, going 8-10 with a 4.61 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, and 212 strikeouts.

The pen was pretty bad, but Pierce Johnson had an excellent season. He was 6-2 with a 2.97 ERA (163 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, and 65 strikeouts in 57.2 innings. Ryan Hartman actually led the team in wins, going 9-4 with a 4.19 ERA (116 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, and 105 strikeouts in 101 innings in just 2 starts and 67 relief appearances. Edwin Diaz had a let down in his first (and probably only season) season with Houston, recording just 20 saves with a 5.64 ERA (86 ERA+), 1.04 WHIP, and 87 strikeouts in 52.2 innings.

The Angels made it back to the World Series and would face the Cardinals once again in a rematch of the 2022 World Series. Mike Trout is still an all world player at 33, hitting .286/.444/.599 (175 OPS+) with 49 homers and 133 RBI's. He's one of five 30+ home run hitter, joined by Brandon Marsh (33), Didi Gregorious (36), Jesus Aguilar (36), and Willie Calhoun (32) as well as one of four 90+ RBI hitters with Anthony Rendon (114), Didi (99), and Aguilar (99). Shoehi Ohtani leads the staff, leading the AL with 19 wins and a really good 3.34 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, and 219 strikeouts in a career best 33 games started. Jamie Barria was the only other dependable starter, going 11-8 with a 3.78 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, and 133 strikeouts in 159.1 innings. Robert Stephenson was their closer, but despite 25 saves he had a below average 5.02 ERA (96 ERA+) and 1.58 WHIP. Setup man Zack Kelly may be the best in the pen with his 187 ERA+, 1.09 WHIP, and 73 strikeouts in 66.1 innings.

The Cardinals finished 97-65 and cruised to an NL Central championship. Jack Flarehty and Dakota Hudson are as good of a 1-2 as any. Flarehty was 14-10 with a 3.70 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, and 189 strikeouts while Hudson was 14-9 with a 3.51 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, and 174 strikeouts. They have a dominant closer in Felipe Vasquez, working to a 1.83 ERA (238 ERA+), 0.88 WHIP, and 65 strikeouts in 59 innings. They also have a dominant setup man in Drew Steckenrider, who's 2.17 ERA (201 ERA+), 0.93 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts in 58 innings are impressive. The lineup isn't as good as LA's, but they have Mookie Betts and Nolan Arrenado hitting three and four. Betts hit .260 with 34 homers and 119 RBI's while Nolan hit .267 with 34 homers and 117 RBI's.

Just like two seasons ago, the Cardinals took the series 4 games to 2 to win their 13th title in team history.

[ayaghmour2]

Platinum Stick Winners:
C Gary Sanchez

Option Decisions:
SP Yu Darvish failed to meet vesting option criteria
2B DJ LeMaheiu met vesting option criteria

Notable Extensions:
RF Chas McCormick: 5-year, $49,320,000
1B Yordan Alvarez: 8-year, $223,200,000

Free Agents:
SP Brandon Bielak (non-tendered)
SP Yonny Chirinos (non-tendered)
CL Edwin Diaz
RP Carlos Estevez
SS Freddy Galvis
1B Taylor Jones (non-tendered)
RP A.J. Minter
3B Yairo Munoz
SP Luke Weaver

Top Free Agents
LF Dominic Smith (29, 116 HR, 384 RBI, 123 OPS+)
C Victor Caritini (31, 74 HR, 316 RBI, 109 OPS+)
SP Jack Flarehty (29, 84-59, 1,437 K, 125 ERA+)
RP Miguel Diaz (30, 16-27, 27 SV, 614 K, 103 ERA+)
SP Dinelson Lamet (32, 40-32, 975 K, 112 ERA+)
SP Alex Wood (33, 112-64, 1,386 K, 118 ERA+)
SP Michael Kopech (28, 25-35, 595 K, 111 ERA+)
SP Caleb Smith (33, 47-53, 864 K, 136 ERA+)
LF Juan Soto (26, 247 HR, 473 RBI, 154 OPS+)
SP Mike Soroka (27, 90-45, 3.38 ERA, 977 K, 129 ERA+)

The Astros started the offseason with a few personnel changes, replacing bench coach Joe Espada and pitching coach Heathcliff Slocumb. Indians bench coach Stef Vleugel will be the team's new bench coach, but they are still looking for a new pitching coach.

They made a few big extensions as well, starting with a 5-year extension for RF Chas McCormick followed up by a mega extension for superstar 1B Yordan Alvarez. McCormick's deal isn't too costly, but Alvarez will make almost $19 million next season before 7 years of $29.2 million.

This Free Agent class has a few headliners with a pair of superstar young free agents in Juan Soto and Mike Soroka. The Astros will have about $100 million to spend, although they never spend as much as they could. They have a few needs, as a closer behind Pierce Johnson could help and a 4th and 5th starter behind the young trio of Wilhite, Whitley, and Smith. They could also use a center fielder, a DH, and possibly a one year shortstop if they don't feel comfortable with Dauri Lorenzo (who has solid potential) starting opening day as he has just 5 games played at AA. There are a lot of free agents who would love to be Astros, including star caliber players in CL Ian Hamilton, SP Walker Buehler, RP Miguel Diaz, SP Luis Severino, CL Tanner Scott, SP Dinelson Lamet, 2B Ketel Marte, and SP Alex Wood, so it would be cool to see if the Astros can add a few of these guys. This team has the chance to be good, but they just aren't quite there yet and I'm not sure if their GM will do enough to get them back to the postseason.