The Houston Astros don’t have a reason to trade the superstar for now.
The beginning of the end feels like it’s coming for the Houston Astros. After losing in the American League Wild Card Series to the Detroit Tigers in 2024, the Astros will enter next season with more questions about their roster than ever before.
Some of the core is getting old, there are a few new faces, and multiple elite players have departed. That typically isn’t a recipe for success, but if there’s been one team around Major League Baseball to trust over the past decade, it’s been Houston.
Of course, at every point, dynasties have to end. That looked like it would be the case for parts of 2024, but the team bounced back impressively after the first few months.
They eventually died down again in the playoffs, but if they were to have run the same roster back with an addition or two, the next campaign wouldn’t be too worrisome.
If things go south again, there could be major changes. After the moves the Astros made this winter, they don’t have much of a choice but to see how things play out.
However, if it’s that bad, there are multiple trade candidates Houston could move to improve its average farm system.
Christopher Hennessy of ClutchPoints proposed an interesting deal that would see the Astros deal Jose Altuve to the Tigers, a trade that would go down as one of the more questionable in franchise history.
“If the Astros are not going to spend money to keep Bregman, Tucker, Gerrit Cole, George Springer, or Carlos Correa, it’s not out of the question that they would get value back for Altuve. They are coming off a historic run of success but greatness does not last forever. A trade would help them get back to the ALCS quicker than running out this team next year, even after signing Christian Walker.”
The thought of trading Altuve would be much more complex than just simply wanting to deal the former MVP Award winner. At this stage in his career, given everything he’s done for Houston, the organization likely wouldn’t trade him just to move him.
If Altuve were to be dealt, the right thing to do would be to allow him to give the Astros a list of teams he’d want to play for.
The chances of this happening are close to zero but never say never. Crazier things have happened around Major League Baseball. Despite all the success the 34-year-old has found during his time with Houston, everything eventually has to end.
