Astros offseason wishlist: Carlos Correa’s potential free agent departure leaves questions for the first step

The 2021-22 MLB has been going on for a few weeks and we’re still waiting for the first big move to happen. That’s no wonder – like MLB the season itself, the offseason is more of a marathon than a sprint – although the impending expiration of a competitive bargaining agreement will throw a giant wrench in the fireplace. However, the season of baseball is underway.

With that in mind, we’ll be reviewing each potential buyer’s holiday wish list over the next few days, continuing with Houston Astros. Let’s go there.

Shortstop

You may have heard it by now Carlos Correa is a free agent. (Indeed, CBS Sports ranked him as the top free agent earlier this winter.) The Astros are said to have made an offer to him, but the terms seem lower than what he should make on the open market. Afraid to move Alex Bregman In short, Houston’s best domestic player right now would be Aledmys Díaz; obviously that won’t work. Top prospect (and potential Correa heir) Jeremy Peña was limited to 37 games last season because of injury, suggesting he won’t be available until the summer, at the earliest. Houston was a safe choice to go outside because of the lack of breath on Opening Day.

Wish list: Retain Correa should be the #1 item on the list. If the Astros deem his needs too rich for their tastes, they can shift their focus to a low-end option, with Trevor’s story served as an ideal candidate. Alternatively, maybe Peña’s impending arrival convinces Houston all they need is some kind of backstop, a la Andrelton Simmons, its feeble bat won’t act as a giant anchor compared to the quality of the rest of Houston’s roster.

Start pitching

Astros is about to lose a veteran Zack Greinke to the free agent and they must have some concerns about Lance McCullers The status of Jr. shows what happened in the post-season. Houston, technically, had six starting pitchers on its roster, in Justin Verlander, McCullers, Frame Valdez, Luis Garcia, José Urquidy, and Jake Odorizzi. They also have a potential medium prospect Hunter Brown coming to The Show, along with some returning leads to host in Triple-A. The Astros should probably still make some upside moves as the market allows them to do so throughout the winter.

Wish list: Retaining Verlander was a reasonable enough decision. The two recently agreed on a year-long, $25 million deal. Apart from him, it will watch if they decide to hit Jon Gray, Dylan Bundy, or someone they believe they can tease more from. Here’s an interesting, if perhaps too reckless, suggestion: trade for Tyler Glasnow wouldn’t offer immediate help, but general manager James Click was familiar with him from their days together in Tampa Bay and that’s the kind of bold move the Astros should be after.

Bullpen

Click has attempted to tackle the Houston cowshed several times over the past year. He signed with Pedro Báez and Ryne Stanek last winter, then exchanged for Kendall Graveman, Phil Maton, and Rafael Montero in season. Every opponent is a safe bet to add a reliever potion or two during the season. Astros who can lose Graveman and Brooks Raley to the free agent, no exception.

Wish list: The Astros will probably give up the top spot of the relief market in favor of some mid-tier they prefer. That could lead them to any number of extra results, from retaining Raley and Graveman to naming lesser-known names like Mychal Givens or Daniel Norris someone they believe they can unlock something with. The relief market is often just a game of musical chairs, so good luck jotting down the correct names.