Isaac Paredes reported to spring training in West Palm Beach on Sunday fully expecting to be traded. He wasn’t. Nearly a week later, he’s still an Astro, still at the center of swirling speculation, and still without a clear role on a roster that has five everyday-caliber infielders and no obvious solution for how to play them all.
The Astros’ infield logjam represents only one symptom of a franchise experiencing something unfamiliar: uncertainty. For the first time since 2016, Houston watched the postseason from home last fall.
The eight-year run that produced two championships, four pennants, and seven ALCS appearances ended not with a dramatic collapse but a slow bleed of injuries and a 32-40 second-half record that erased what had been a seven-game division lead.
Paredes Trade Talks and a Failed Three-Team Deal
Paredes has been discussed in trade talks with at least five teams this winter, according to multiple reports, with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox showing the most sustained interest. The Astros explored a three-team framework that would have sent Paredes to Boston, landed Brendan Donovan in Houston, and shipped a prospect package to St. Louis. Instead, the Cardinals dealt Donovan to Seattle in a separate arrangement, and the Astros’ search for a left-handed outfield bat continues.
Complicating matters: Pittsburgh acquired Spencer Horwitz last offseason, reducing their urgency to add another corner infielder. The Red Sox signed Isiah Kiner-Falefa and acquired Caleb Durbin from Milwaukee, filling much of the hole they had at the infield corners. The market for Paredes hasn’t dried up, but it has narrowed considerably.
The 26-year-old two-time All-Star slashed .254/.352/.458 with 20 home runs in 102 games before a severe right hamstring strain in mid-July sidelined him for nearly two months, though he returned for the final eight games of the season while limited to designated hitter duty. He’s making $9.35 million in 2026 with a club option for 2027, offering genuine value to teams seeking right-handed thump at a reasonable cost. But the Astros want a left-handed outfielder in return, and that specific ask has proven difficult to match.
GM Dana Brown said last week that the organization is “not done” making moves after trading Jesús Sánchez to Toronto for Joey Loperfido in what amounted to a salary dump that cleared roughly $6 million against the luxury tax. Houston is operating with the $244 million competitive balance threshold as a de facto spending ceiling, and owner Jim Crane has shown no appetite for crossing it again after doing so the past two seasons.
The infield as currently constructed features Jeremy Peña at shortstop, Jose Altuve at second base, Carlos Correa at third, and either Paredes or Christian Walker at first. Correa returned via trade deadline acquisition from Minnesota last summer, planted at third base while Paredes recovered. Now Paredes is healthy, and there’s nowhere obvious to put him.
Yordan’s Return and the Hader Question
If there’s reason for genuine optimism in West Palm Beach, it starts with Yordan Alvarez walking around pain-free. The 28-year-old slugger was limited to just 48 games in 2025 after a fracture in his right hand cost him more than three months, followed by a severe left ankle sprain in mid-September that ended his season entirely. His slash line of .273/.367/.430 with six home runs represented career lows across the board.
Alvarez told reporters he’s “100% healthy” entering camp. Manager Joe Espada plans to deploy him almost exclusively at designated hitter, limiting the defensive exposure that creates injury risk. When healthy, Alvarez remains one of the most dangerous hitters in the game. The Astros desperately need him to stay on the field.
Less certain is the status of closer Josh Hader, who missed the final two months of 2025 with a left shoulder capsule strain. The six-time All-Star had been throwing off a mound during the offseason but was diagnosed with biceps tendinitis roughly 10 days before pitchers and catchers reported. He played catch on the first day of workouts but acknowledged he’s “a few weeks behind” schedule. His availability for Opening Day remains in question.
Altuve, meanwhile, arrived in camp working to correct a flaw in his batting stance. The 35-year-old said he was stepping too far toward home plate as pitches arrived, to the point where his back was “almost facing the pitcher.” He batted .265 with a .771 OPS in 2025, his worst full-season performance since his early career. Minor offseason foot surgery corrected a lingering issue from September.
The sentimental subplot involves Cavan Biggio, son of Hall of Famer Craig, who signed a minor league deal with an invitation to big league camp. He’s competing for a utility role, though the infield surplus makes his path to the roster narrow.
Rotation Concerns After Valdez Departure
The rotation absorbed a significant blow when Framber Valdez signed a three-year, $115 million deal with Detroit, pairing with Tarik Skubal to form one of the American League’s most formidable top-two combinations. Valdez’s departure leaves Hunter Brown as the clear ace, with Cristian Javier returning from Tommy John surgery, Tatsuya Imai making his MLB debut, and Lance McCullers Jr. attempting to recapture form after a difficult 2025.
This Astros team has questions at nearly every turn. The outfield mix of Zach Cole, Jake Meyers, and Cam Smith lacks a clear everyday left-handed presence. The bullpen awaits clarity on Hader. The infield can’t get everyone at-bats. And the margin for error that comes with sustained excellence has evaporated.
What Houston still has is experience, infrastructure, and players capable of performing at elite levels when healthy. What it lacks, for the first time in nearly a decade, is the certainty that those advantages will be enough.