The Houston Astros do not currently have a general manager or a manager. However, with free agency not far away, owner Jim Crane, senior advisor Jeff Bagwell and other front office executives must remain mindful of improving the roster, even as the GM search remains on-going.
And with the World Series set to get underway between the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays, there are plenty of players who may be available this winter and are worth keeping an eye on, given their potential fit for the Astros.
1. Freddy Peralta
After spending the first eight seasons of his MLB career with the Brewers, Freddy Peralta now finds himself vying for a World Series championship against his former club thanks to a trade deadline deal that sent him to Tampa Bay. Since he is likely to command a contract far outside the realm of what the Rays can afford this offseason, he faces the very real possibility that he could move on to a fourth team in a little over a year.
Houston, like many other clubs, will be waiting. The Astros' frontline pitching needs are far from unique across MLB, but they clearly need more sure things in the rotation after a season in which no pitcher won more than eight games and only two hurlers (Peter Lambert and Hunter Brown) started as many as 20 contests.
Peralta, for his part, is a bona fide innings eater. Even apart from earning ALCS MVP honors as part of a stellar playoff run (2-0 with a 1.08 ERA over three starts and four appearances), the 30-year-old has made 30 starts or more in each of the past four seasons, all the while sporting a 3.71 career ERA. He and Brown would represent a formidable duo atop the rotation.
2. Jake Bauers
Houston led the majors in home runs in 2026 and already boast a power-hitting baseman signed for 2027 in Christian Walker, so you might not expect them to be active players in the Jake Bauers sweepstakes.
Of course, it can't hurt to have the reigning NLCS MVP on your roster, and the Astros are in a unique situation where Bauers might make some sense. Walker slugged 29 homers and added 87 RBI this season, but his age (35) and contract status (free agent after next season) make a return uncertain.
In that sense, Bauers represents a potential transition plan at first. With Walker entrenched at the position for the time being, the 31-year-old boasts the versatility to primarily patrol the outfield as a way to keep his bat in the lineup. Once Walker's contract is up at season's end, Bauers could take over full-time at first for a player who is four years his senior.
While Walker held an edge in the home run race in 2026 (29 to 26), Bauers dwarfed his OPS (.874, compared to .727). He set career-high home run and RBI marks this season, and figures to continue playing at a high level well into his next contract.
3. JoJo Romero
Houston closer Josh Hader enjoyed a sensational 2026 campaign, going 4-2 with a 1.01 ERA while recording 26 saves. The rest of the Astros' bullpen, however, didn't enjoy the same success.
On the whole, the club's relief corps, had a middling season, ranking 17th in ERA (4.08) while allowing the fourth-most home runs (91) of any MLB club. Bryan Abreu and Steven Okert were solid, while AJ Blubaugh showed promise. However, high-leverage relievers like Bryan King and Enyel De Los Santos struggled.
Regardless, the bullpen will have to be an area of focus this offseason, particularly with Abreu, Okert and De Los Santon set to become free agents. JoJo Romero, who has followed up an excellent regular season with a stellar playoff run thus far, would represent a huge addition to the unit. The left-hander went 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA over 11 appearances down the stretch for Milwaukee following a deadline deal and now sports a 2-1 record with a 1.69 ERA and nine strikeouts in four postseason outings.
In the case of any of these players, the Astros would do well to add playoff-proven talent to its roster. But first, they must determine who it is that will be making such decisions.
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