Dana Brown discusses offseason challenges and optimism for 2025. Composite Getty Image.
Astros general manager Dana Brown reflected on a challenging offseason this Wednesday, including the difficult decision to trade star outfielder Kyle Tucker. While Brown had previously expressed confidence in Tucker re-signing with Houston, he admitted the trade was the toughest move he had to make.
“You can't fault a man for optimism,” Brown said when asked about his initial belief that Tucker would remain with the team. At the end of the day, Tucker's high level of play and desire to hit free agency priced him out of remaining with Houston. And so far, it appears the club received a nice haul (Cam Smith, Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski) from the trade. They gained 14 years of team control for 1 year of control.
One of the biggest storylines for the Astros this spring is Jose Altuve’s transition to left field. Brown expressed confidence in the experiment, saying, “The trajectory is good.” But he also made it clear that they haven't “committed” to it yet.
When asked if Altuve would be the starter in left field on Opening Day, Brown differed to his manager, saying that would be Joe Espada's decision.
Brown also praised prospect Smith, calling him the most exciting thing to watch in camp, while highlighting his blend of confidence and humility.
While Houston’s roster is taking shape, the bullpen remains an area of concern. Brown acknowledged that innings five through seven are still uncertain, and addressing those middle-inning gaps is a priority.
The team also made headlines by trading veteran reliever Ryan Pressly to the Cubs, a move some viewed as a cost-cutting decision. Brown rejected that notion, instead emphasizing that the Astros acquired a starter for the future in the deal.
(Nobody's buying that, but better to spin it rather than throw your owner under the bus).
You can watch Brown's full conversation with Foul Territory in the video below!
*Assisted by ChatGPT.
How Astros' bold offseason strategy is already giving off familiar vibes
Mar 5, 2025, 1:44 pm
Heading into Wednesday's Grapefruit League game, reports indicate that Astros first baseman Christian Walker has been scratched with left oblique soreness.
Worth noting that Christian Walker had a left oblique injury last season that kept him on the IL for more than a month https://t.co/13IZ7P6Dtd
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) March 5, 2025
As Chandler Rome mentions in the post above, Walker missed the entire month of August in 2024 with a left oblique injury. He only hit .231 for the remainder of the season after recovering from the injury.
Walker was off to a hot start this spring, hitting .500 with 3 doubles in 8 at-bats. Hopefully this is just a precautionary move, and he'll be back in the lineup shortly.
However, these are the types of risks owner Jim Crane likes to take. Only willing to commit big money on short-term deals to aging players. Walker will be 34 years old at the end of March. He signed a 3-year, $60 million contract with Houston this offseason.
The reality is, sometimes these moves work, and sometimes they don't. Older players are more likely to have their production falloff and deal with injuries. Michael Brantley is a prime example of getting good value from an older player on a short contract. His 2-year deal for $32 million with the Astros for the 2019 and 2020 seasons turned out to be a solid move. He played the 2019 and 2020 seasons at 32 and 33 years old, respectively. His contracts with the 'Stros following that original deal did not work out nearly as well, with injuries keeping him out of the lineup regularly.
Justin Verlander is another example of Crane's willingness to roll the dice on aging players. Verlander joined the Astros during his age 34 season. Houston saw a wide range of results with Verlander. He won two Cy Young awards and two championships with the club, but also missed significant time due to injury, and struggled to get batter outs when healthy in 2024. Verlander was left off the postseason roster in his final year in Houston.
And we can't help but mention the Jose Abreu contract as a cautionary tale. Especially since the terms of his deal and his age are similar to Walker's.
But clearly, Crane was more comfortable making the cheaper 3-year deal with Walker over extending Kyle Tucker or paying Alex Bregman market value. Had the Astros kept one of those two players, they likely would have felt better about keeping Jon Singleton at first base and passing on Walker.
Only time will tell if the Astros made the right decisions. The trade haul for Kyle Tucker looks terrific so far, but we all know it's not wise to put too much stock in spring training games.
It's also worth noting, both Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez missed time in 2023 dealing with oblique injuries.
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