Offseason Outlook: Houston Astros
theScore's baseball editors break down the past year for each team, and look ahead to the offseason.
Free agents: Jesse Crain, Matt Albers, Jose Veras
Arbitration-eligible players: Dexter Fowler, Jason Castro, Chris Carter, Hank Conger, Tony Sipp, Alex Presley, Carlos Corporan, Marwin Gonzalez, Anthony Bass
2014 payroll: $50 million
What went right in 2014?
There were plenty of positives on the individual level. Jose Altuve had a career year, hitting .341/.377/.453 to capture his second All-Star Game nod and first Silver Slugger. He led the majors in average and hits (225), while swiping an American League-leading 56 bases.
The Astros ranked fourth in baseball with 163 homers, powered by Chris Carter's 37 (second in the AL). George Springer followed up a tantalizing minor league career by swatting 20 homers and posting an .804 OPS in 78 games before his rookie season was cut short with a quad injury.
Houston received some strong performances on the mound, too, highlighted by breakout campaigns from Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh.
Keuchel threw a career-high 200 innings, his 63.5 percent ground-ball rate was easily the top mark among major league starters, and he surrendered a minuscule 0.50 HR/9. McHugh, meanwhile, had the ninth-best strikeout rate (25.4%) among pitchers who threw a minimum of 150 innings.
| Pitcher | ERA | FIP | K/BB | W-L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keuchel | 2.93 | 3.21 | 3.04 | 12-9 |
| McHugh | 2.73 | 3.11 | 3.83 | 11-9 |
What went wrong in 2014?
Despite a 70-92 record, it could have been worse. The Astros - owners of baseball's lowest payroll - avoided the AL West basement during another rebuilding year, and had a 19-game improvement from 2013 to snap a streak of three consecutive 100-loss seasons.
Houston's biggest black mark in 2014 was an inability to come to terms with two of its top six draft picks in No. 1 overall selection Brady Aiken and fifth rounder Jacob Nix, a pair of situations which turned ugly.
That wasn't the only controversy surrounding the Astros, though. Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow has been questioned for his approach, and a growing conflict between the front office and former manager Bo Porter likely led to the latter's dismissal.
Furthermore, embarrassing computer leaks regarding trade discussions became public, and the handling of top prospect Mark Appel enraged some Astros players.
Offseason Needs
The Astros can increase payroll by $20 million, but even with their top two picks in next year's draft protected, they're unlikely to bid on free agents linked to compensation.
Houston did ink right-hander Scott Feldman to a three-year, $30-million deal last offseason, though, proving a willingness to spend on the open market.
A rotation spot should be available, making the Astros somewhat attractive to pitchers who are looking for a guaranteed job, hoping to re-establish value by signing a smaller-term deal.
Starting pitching
Top Target
Justin Masterson - The two sides could be a fit. Masterson was relegated to the bullpen and traded as a result of persistent struggles in the rotation following an All-Star 2013 season in which he struck out a career-high 9.09 batters per nine innings and was 3.5 WAR. He's reportedly open to signing a one-year deal in order to rebuild value, and has been strong in two of the last four seasons. A good start could make him an attractive chip at the trade deadline, allowing the Astros to net something in exchange for the potential rental player.
Additional candidates: Brandon Morrow, Josh Johnson, Chris Capuano, Edinson Volquez, Chad Billingsley
Infield help
The Astros are set at second with Altuve, but questions remain around the rest of the infield. First baseman Jonathan Singleton, who struggled during his first taste of the big leagues, isn't a lock to make the team, and neither is third baseman Matt Dominguez. Houston could be set at short and third as early as 2016, but acquiring a stopgap wouldn't affect those plans.
Top target
Mark Reynolds - The power-hitting Reynolds is a deeply flawed player but consistently hits for power and plays both corner infield positions. Reynolds has hit 20-plus homers in seven consecutive years and was had for $2 million last offseason.
Additional candidates: Stephen Drew, Clint Barmes
Impact Prospect
Shortstop Carlos Correa, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, is the organization's top prospect, but a broken leg cost him half a year of development, and he hasn't played above High-A so his debut doesn't appear to be coming until 2016.
Appel, who has struggled since turning pro, pitched better once he was promoted to Double-A (3.69 ERA, 38 strikeouts in 39 innings), and threw a series of good starts in the Arizona Fall League (2.77 ERA, 20 strikeouts in 26 innings overall).
The 2013 No. 1 pick remains high on potential and can run his fastball to the upper 90s and features a slider that's widely considered to flash plus. He believes he can help in 2015 and Luhnow thinks it's possible, too.