Let’s take a look at the Houston Astros’ 2024 season, the questions the team must answer this winter and the early outlook for 2025.

Read more: 2024 MLB offseason previews: What’s next for the Twins, Mariners, Cubs and more?

Result after the season

The Astros were improbably the first team to be eliminated from the 2024 postseason, beating the Detroit Tigers 2-0 in the wild-card round after a dominant performance from Tarik Skubal in Game 1 and a scrappy comeback in a back-and-forth Game 2. Houston’s remarkable streak of seven consecutive ALCS appearances is over.

The wild-card loss can largely be attributed to Houston’s offense, which yielded three runs in two games. The top two hitters in the lineup, Jose Altuve and Kyle Tucker, each reached base just once. The bullpen also deserves some of the blame, as Ryan Pressly and Josh Hader couldn’t protect a 2-1 eighth-inning lead in Game 2.

Things that went well

The Astros won the AL West for the fourth straight season and the seventh time in the past eight years. It wasn’t a smooth ride to the top, as Houston started slowly and sat a game behind Seattle at the All-Star break. But the two teams moved in opposite directions in the second half, with the Astros crossing especially in September.

The club was led by its pitching staff, which ranked sixth in baseball with a 3.74 ERA. Framber Valdez remained one of the steadiest starters in baseball, leading the Astros in innings and wins. Hunter Brown rebounded from a disappointing rookie year to lead the team in strikeouts and post solid ratios (3.49 ERA, 1.27 WHIP). And Ronel Blanco was one of baseball’s biggest surprises. The 31-year-old won the fifth rotation spot at the end of spring training and finished the season fourth in the majors in ERA. The bullpen, led by closer Josh Hader and setup men Bryan Abreu, Tayler Scott and Ryan Pressly, was even more effective than the rotation.

Yordan Alvarez remained the driving force in the attack. The 27-year-old finished no lower than sixth in baseball in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. He was supported by leadoff man Jose Altuve, who experienced some regression but still hit .295 and was a 20-20 player. Kyle Tucker was also a dominant force (.993 OPS) despite missing three months with a broken tibia.

Things that went wrong

The team’s serial production was barely better than average, as a few players let the club down. Jose Abreu declined even further after a notable decline in 2023. The organization tried everything, including a stint in the minors in May, before giving up and releasing Abreu in June. Jon Singleton deserves credit for closing the gap at first base, but he had little offensive impact. Chas McCormick was an even bigger disappointment than Abreu as he followed his breakout 2023 by struggling mightily at the plate (.576 OPS), spending time in the minors and enduring two IL stints.

While the rotation had some highlights, there were also some major disappointments. Cristian Javier entered 2024 hoping to bounce back from a disappointing season, but he lasted just seven starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June. José Urquidy didn’t make a single start before suffering the same fate. And the team didn’t get what it expected from Justin Verlander, who was limited to 17 starts due to injuries and was ineffective even when healthy (5.48 ERA, 1.38 WHIP), to the point that Verlander was left out of the Astros’ wild lineup stayed. -card grid.

Off-season plans

Astros general manager Dana Brown is tasked with extending the tenure of this perennial contender even further. It won’t be easy.

The infield is in three spots, with Yainer Diaz behind the plate, Altuve at second base and Jeremy Peña at shortstop. Things are completely unsettled at the corners, with third baseman Alex Bregman heading to free agency and Singleton providing subpar production initially. Mauricio Dubón could help fill the gaps, but he is ineffective at the plate and is more valuable in a utility role.

Brown could get away with not addressing the outfield, but he would need a little luck on his side. Tucker provides great production as a right fielder, and while center fielder Jake Meyers is a marginal offensive player, he is one of baseball’s best defensive players at a premium position. The gamble for Brown would be to move on from McCormick as the starter in left field, hoping he can recapture his 2023 form.

There are fewer holes in the rotation, as Valdez, Blanco, Brown and Spencer Arrighetti will fill four of the five spots. Luis Garcia could be the fifth starter as he returns from Tommy John surgery in 2023, while JP France and Lance McCullers Jr. other contenders return from injury. The relief corps is also in great shape, as Hader, Scott, Pressly and Abreu should all return before 2025.

Overall, the Astros have been big spenders in recent seasons and will likely continue to open their wallets for quality free agents. After all, this lineup needs at least two new members, and the potential pool isn’t strong enough to acquire those players through trades. Bringing Bregman back would certainly be a popular move, but he has long-term concerns after his fundamental skills declined this year.

Prospects on the horizon

The Astros’ farm system is as bad as you’d expect for a team that has been in win-now mode for almost a decade. MLB Pipeline ranked Houston’s prospect pool as the worst in baseball during its August update. However, there are a number of players who can help the team next year.

Jacob Melton has reached Triple-A and could fill a glaring hole in the outfield. The 24-year-old has more speed and can play all three outfield spots. His challenge will be to get into the starting lineup regularly once he gets the chance in Houston, but he could be a nice spark plug at the bottom of the lineup.

Zach Dezenzo had a cup of coffee with the Astros this year (62 plate appearances), and while he didn’t make much of an impact, he could be a factor at both corners of the infield next year depending on how those positions are. treated in low season. Dezenzo has shown an intriguing mix of speed, power and on-base ability in the minors.

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Goals for 2025

The Astros have won two World Series titles in the past eight years and will continue to push for a third championship. The roster isn’t stacked with up-and-coming players, but management has managed to keep winning while shifting the foundation to two superstars in their prime: Alvarez and Tucker. This is a team with obvious holes (1B, 3B, LF), but it also has the star power that many contenders lack, giving the Astros the potential to address their weaknesses and enter 2025 with a newly loaded roster.

Fantasy focus

Several Houston players will be early round draft picks. Tucker is an obvious option in the first round, while Alvarez belongs in the first round of points leagues and the second round of roto formats. Altuve is past his prime, but still good enough to be selected in rounds 3-5. Diaz is one of the few catchers to make a significant fantasy contribution, leading him to be selected in the mid-rounds.

Valdez will be the first Houston pitcher off the board as some managers will view him as a fantasy ace. Hader will be one of the most coveted closers, while Blanco and Brown will be valuable mid-round options. Finally, Arrighetti will be an exciting late-round pick based on his swing-and-miss skills.