Here's how Astros next extension candidate might actually catch you by surprise
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06 March 2024
Which player will sign an extension first? Composite Getty Image.
As the Houston Astros prepare for the start of the season, one of the biggest topics of conversation has to be Alex Bregman's contract status. Bregman has yet to receive an offer from the club, as he prepares to play in the final year of his deal.
Extension talks with Kyle Tucker haven't gone very far either, but Astros GM Dana Brown has been adamant that the team will make both players an offer. The Astros have an extra year to negotiate with Tucker, as he's not set to be a free agent until after the 2025 season.
So as we wait for some movement on these situations, something Dana Brown said this week at spring training caught our attention. The Athletic's Chandler Rome recently wrote about Brown's interest in getting players signed to pre-arbitration extensions. Something Brown had a lot of success doing while he was in the Atlanta Braves front office.
Astros pitcher Cristian Javier signed one before the start of last season. He inked a deal for 5-years, $64 million shortly after Brown took the job as Astros GM.
Who could be next?
The players that fit this description currently would be Jeremy Pena, Yainer Diaz, and Bryan Abreu. Out of those three, Abreu would make the most sense to extend at this time. At this early stage in their careers, it's hard to know what caliber of players Pena and Diaz will ultimately be.
But Abreu looks like he's going to be a quality high-leverage reliever for years to come. The Astros could buy out his next two years of arbitration and offer him a contract extension that would keep him in Houston long-term.
With Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly likely to leave in free agency after the 2025 season, having Abreu and Josh Hader locked in to pitch the 8th and 9th innings moving forward makes a ton of sense.
Pressly's $14 million would be off the books, along with Montero's $11.5 million in 2026. The club could use that savings to pay Abreu.
Hader is under contract through the 2028 season. It would be great to sign Abreu long-term so he could eventually be the closer when Hader's deal is up.
Around the league
Plus, how will Zack Wheeler's 3-year, $126 million contract extension with the Phillies impact Framber Valdez?
Be sure to watch the video above as we break it all down!
Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan every Monday on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel. We'll continue to drop more episodes throughout the week.
José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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