Houston general manager Dana Brown spoke with reporters (including the Houston Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara, the Athletic’s Chandler Rome, and MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer) on Friday about several matters related to the Astros’ offseason, and there was naturally plenty of talk about the big three-team, six-player trade between the Astros, Pirates, and Rays. The Astros’ end of the deal saw first-year outfielder Jacob Melton and minor league righty Anderson Brito dealt to Tampa Bay, while Houston’s rotation was bolstered by the addition of right-hander Mike Burrows.
Obtaining a controllable and talented young arm like Burrows is a nice get for the Astros, even at the substantial cost of two notable youngsters from Houston’s farm system. As Brown put it, “it’s not easy to part ways with successful pieces that you have that are high-end prospects. But when there are a lot of teams that need starters, that’s where the market is. A lot of teams need starters, and so you don’t want to lose out. So you have to get creative and pull from your depth and maybe fill that spot.”
Burrows might just be the start of Houston’s work on this front, as Brown said his club “will definitely pursue more pitching.” This pursuit has included at least some discussion with Framber Valdez about a potential reunion, but Brown naturally didn’t divulge any details beyond saying that he’s had “some back and forth” with Valdez’s camp.
This is the first indication of any talks between Valdez and the Astros since Brown’s season wrap-up presser at the end of September, when he stated that the two sides would remain in touch. While Brown’s latest comment doesn’t technically provide any new information on this front, it is somewhat notable that Valdez might still remain on Houston’s radar even in a slight fashion, as it has widely been assumed that he’ll be signing elsewhere.
The Astros are known to be looking to avoid paying the luxury tax for the third consecutive season, and Valdez is likely to command a deal far too pricey for Houston’s liking. MLBTR projected Valdez for a five-year, $150MM contract, and such teams as the Orioles, Mets, and Giants have been linked to the two-time All-Star. That interest hasn’t resulted in a deal yet, however, and some obstacles remain for Valdez with any of those suitors — the Giants and Mets reportedly aren’t keen on long-term contracts for pitchers, and the O’s already made a massive free agent strike by signing Pete Alonso.
As long as Valdez remains unsigned, there’s still a chance a deal could be worked out between the two sides. It costs Brown nothing to check in with Valdez out of just due diligence, just in case some common ground could be found or if Valdez’s asking price drops. That being said, the far likelier scenario is that Valdez will be on another team’s roster in 2026, and the Astros will look to add pitching via lower-cost signings, and/or trades.
Brown said he is open to all possibilities on the trade front, though he again suggested that the Astros weren’t necessarily in a rush to trade either from their crowded infield, or known trade target Jake Meyers. Speaking of Meyers specifically, Brown said “it’s a really good deal, we may consider it. But right now, Meyers is going to be a guy for us that’s going to play center field and it looks like he’s the frontline guy as of today.”
The fact that the Astros moved Melton is notable, as he was thought to be a potential heir apparent in center field if Meyers was dealt. Brown said Houston was ultimately comfortable dealing Melton due to the presence of Meyers and Zach Cole as center field options, plus Lucas Spence and Joseph Sullivan further down the minor league pipeline. Beyond Meyers, Cole is the only member of that group with any MLB experience, and Cole’s resume consists of 15 games with the Astros in 2025.
Beyond the rotation, Brown said the Astros are also looking for relief pitching and a backup catcher. Victor Caratini remains available in free agency, though the expectation is that Caratini will be able to find more of a regular catching job with another team than he would be rejoining the Astros to share time with Yainer Diaz behind the plate.