A lot has been made of how the Houston Astros are approaching the offseason. With the club slightly over the tax threshold, many believe the Astros are done making significant moves.

And while it would certainly be exciting to see the Astros make some blockbuster acquisitions, we could make the case that the team will be better this season because of addition by subtraction.

One could make the argument that the team is significantly better just by replacing Martin Maldonado with Yainer Diaz. Making Chas McCormick a regular starter should also have a positive impact on the team.

The Dusty effect

Dusty Baker refusing to move a struggling Jose Abreu down in the lineup also hurt the team. As well as continuing to use Rafael Montero in high-leverage situations, despite the poor results. We don't foresee Joe Espada making decisions like this.

Plus, many fans don't view the Victor Caratini signing as a big time move, but he has the ability to play first base and catcher. We saw how much better Jose Abreu hit later in the season after getting some rest after dealing with a back injury.

Without Baker penciling him in the lineup every day, an older player like Abreu could flourish with less wear and tear.

What about the pitching?

Most of the Astros pitchers regressed in 2023. There's a case to be made that the staff could bounce back, simply because pitching is kind of fluky by nature.

Pitchers follow up good years with bad ones, and vice versa all the time.

Don't miss the video above for the full conversation as we explain why staying under the tax threshold could greatly benefit the team after the season, and much more.

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