Astros Infield Dilemma SPARKS Major Offseason Trade—Isaac Paredes, Christian Walker in Limbo

Astros Infield Dilemma SPARKS Major Offseason Trade—Isaac Paredes, Christian Walker in Limbo

Well, the Astros off season isn’t exactly heating up, but the rule five pickup makes you have hope. Are they going to trade Christian Walker or Eso Paredus? There’s a log jam. We’re going to try to solve it. Not all tonight, but let’s get going right now. Yel Diaz, this is Locked On Astros. Hello and welcome to Locked On Astros, your daily Astros podcast. Here are your hosts, Eric the Man Heisman, and Brett Htown Wheelhouse Chansy. We are locked on Houston Astros and we hope that you join us for a daily locked on Astros podcast. My name is Eric Heisman. He is Brett Chansy. We are the Lock on Astros podcast. Thank you for making us your first listen. Apple Odyssey, Spotify, wherever you listen your podcast. go and check us out. We’re part of the number one podcast network out there and we are the number one Astros podcast out there and we have a everyday club that um for those of you all that are really big fans of the podcast uh really big Astros fans, you can go ahead have exclusive benefits. We’ll go and talk a little bit more about that later, but we appreciate all the everydayers that make us here first listen and go and subscribe to us on um on YouTube and help us get to 20,000 subscribers. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. If you want to be in the right in the middle of the action this se, visit fan.com and place your NFL live bets all season long. So Brett, I know that the winter meetings were last week. We didn’t really do any uh any shows after the winter meetings, but we’re going to go and wrap up what happened last week and talk about are they done? Are they going to make any more moves? And honestly, uh this is something that is probably um the writing’s been on the wall for a while. They’re going to have to trade either Christian Walker or Eso Parades because there’s no place to play him. And you’re not going to have these guys that are making all this money and only playing three or four times a week. You’re going to you’re going to want these guys playing. And so there something’s got to give. And um you know that Jose is going to be playing a lot more second base and we’ll talk a little bit about more about Ryan Weiss, his contract, and who do we really think is going to get traded. But uh we got all off seasonason to try to figure out what’s going on. But, um, let’s go and get started right now, Brett. Yeah. So, definitely, you know, the Astros obviously have a top priority in getting a number two pitcher in here to help support Hunter Brown. You and I have talked about that almost a nauseium at this point. And I like everybody’s reaction. Surely not done. Of course, we’re not done. or the famous we haven’t done anything yet, which seems to be a common theme for Astros fans thinking what are the what is this team going to do, right? And um you know, they do have to solve that frontline starter thing. And what I would like to do um on the next show is really look into Freddy Peralta as a trade or as someone that the Astros get, but talk about him on a whole another show. Um they did recently um just sign um Rodri Munoz from the Reds in the rule five draft where at the same time they protected Yola because they know that he is going to compete for a position in the starting rotation. But obviously their number one priority is a number two pitcher. That’s first and foremost. Second, like you talked about, it’s fixing the log jam in the infield. I think there’s a way to solve that and there’s more painful ways than I think less painful ways to do that. But Eric, um, when you when you look at this team, when you look at the way this roster is made up, the pitchers we signed, I think are going to serve the needs that we need. Obviously, Ryan Weiss will talk about him was a major league contract, but none of these guys were brought in. Make no illusions about it as as the number two starter. Um, if that’s something they’re working on, do you think at the same time Dana Brown is also working on talking with teams because Jake Myers, there was a lot of talk about him getting traded. That didn’t happen. But when you look at the free agents on the market still, the Bob Bashett, the Alex Bregman’s, the Kyle Tuckers, there’s still a lot of big names out there. So, the Astros aren’t the only team not doing anything. Yeah. And uh Ryan Weiss, I know this is a uh this is a move. This is not the big move that you would you’re hoping the Astros were going to make, but this is a move. So, I know that uh the Munoz selection in the rule five draft, that’s not um the Astros pay the um Reds 100,000 basically to select him and he has to stay on the major league roster for the entire year or they have to offer him back and then the Reds would give him uh give the Astros $50,000 in return. That’s how that’s going to work. But they they see him as a guy that can fit in the back of the bullpen. But exactly uh to respond to what you said, Dana Brown is not done. He knows that there’s a lot to that that they still need to do, uh young pitching is definitely what they’re still going after. And uh I know that the Red Sox are probably going to be a big name that to kind of watch out for because Michael Keane wants to go play for the Red Sox. And if the Red Sox do sign Michael Keane, then that’s more likely that they’ll go out and maybe make that type of deal with the Houston Astros for Eso Parades and give you those two young pitchers turn. So, uh, I think that if they add to their rotation, that’s more likely. But yeah, I think that right now Jake Myers, his trade value is all-time high. I think they really want to see what Zack Cole can do in center field given the every day um playing time and yet there’s too much to do. There’s this team is not finished and they’ve got too many people playing infield and you can you can’t have that. And yes, uh as we saw last year, depth is very important, but they’ve got to be able to play somewhere. This is going back all the way to where they they traded for Carlos Karee. We knew that this was going to be issue and even if you have Parades playing uh second base where you could play Altuve because they want to try to limit him playing the outfield now. So kind of situation like what do you do? Exactly. You know and you know fixing the infield log jam. Um, you know, right now they’re not going to do it, but right now you want to talk about someone who would get back a king’s ransom and it would be Jeremy Pñena, but he is one of your best defenders. He heated up with the bat much like 2022. He’s a leader in the clubhouse, so he’s off the table. So talking about trading someone like that would be ridiculous. Um, but I just don’t see a world where Jose Altuve, Isach Pedes, um, Christian Walker, and Yordon Alvarez are on the same team, including Carlos Koreah. A and Carlos Kareah clearly frustrates this process. And um I am curious to see out of Meyers, Pedes, and Walker who you think the Astros or who you think will get traded. I say like I’m going to go 100% all in on one person. And I don’t know if a lot of Astros fans are going to like it. And just cuz I go all in on this person doesn’t mean I necessarily want to trade him, but I can see a pathway to him being traded more likely than I can see others. Um, but it’s a good problem to have. At the same time, it’s not because I don’t know when I get to spring training who’s going to be to the right of me, who’s going to be to the left of me, you know, if I’m on second base. Heck, Alt and it seemed a little bit like Joe Espada and Dana Brown almost said two different things. Yes, that’s what I was about to say. They’re not communicating with each other. So, I don’t know where that begins and where that ends. Now, they probably crossed lines. They were probably busy doing their own meetings. And it’s not like they I don’t think they consulted each other before they went on. And I don’t think they purposely crisscross messages, but there’s clearly a mind going one way and one mind going the other. Um hopefully they’re on the same page going forward because Dana Brown builds the team then Joe Espatada assigns the players where they’re going, right? So at the end of the day, who’s making that decision? What is Jim Crane willing to do? And are the Astros going to surprise us? I I mean, I still think that’s a possibility. Yeah, I mean I have a actual answer that I can give you about why their message is a little bit different. Just keep in mind one of them is a manager, one of them is a GM that’s trying to make some deals happen and you can’t seem desperate. So we’ll go and talk about that next. Go and make us your first listen. Apple Odyssey, Spotify, wherever you listening podcast. Go and check us out. Well everybody, I’m back to talk to y’all about FanDuel. FanDuel is a great place to go. The NFL Sundays move fast today. The Texans were steamrolling the Arizona Cardinals. It was a great win for the defense, for the offense, but what makes betting live betting more on the FanDuel is not only can you just watch the action and watch it unfold, you can react in real time with betting with FanDuel. You can place bets as the action unfolds. Every drive, every every momentum swing, every highlight moment, even when Woody Marks came out in the practice squad running back came in, Jordan, he came in and just solidified his spot as a backup today. Live spreads and money lines adjust instantly. Player props, they update as guys heat up. You can bet next touchdown scores, drive results, total, and more. It keeps you locked in every snap, every drive, every possibility. So, if you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit fanuel.com and place your NFL bets live all season long. FanDuel, the game moves fast and so can you. Hey guys, thank you for making Locked on Astros podcast your first listen every day. Um, and thank you for making Locked On the number one sports podcast network out there. If you’re a true Astros fan, the Everyday All Access tier is built for you. You’ll get one-on-one text access with me and Brett’s all access episodes and an exclusive newsletter and a 15% discount on the Locked On merchandise store. Just head on to uh locked on uh supercast.com to join the Everyday Club and unlock the all access part. And you can also find a link in the show notes. And uh Brett um I know that uh before the break I I did kind of tease something. I think what you’re seeing is they’re both on the same page and they both have the right idea. Joe Espada is trying to figure out what he’s going to do once with the the roster he has. And um you have Dana Brown who’s trying to make conversations with other teams and so Dana Brown’s like, “Oh yeah, Parades can play second base.” And so that they’re they’re trying to look like they’re not desperate to uh move somebody like Christian Walker or even Parades. That way they can have some leverage for the other teams because if teams seem that see that you’re desperate to make a move then they’ll go ahead and take advantage of that situation. So I think that’s what’s going on here. There’s a little bit of gamemanship there just like oh yeah uh we don’t have to trade anybody. We can go ahead and uh just go ahead and have Parades do this play second base and we’ll have Altuve in left field. while Joe Spat is basically saying, “Well, we want um Altuve to be the everyday second baseman.” So, that’s just kind of what’s going on here. So, that’s just my thoughts. Yeah. No, I you know, I can I can get on track with that. Um I I do know though with all these players that I think are a possibility to be traded, it’s no mystery what the Astros need, but it’s also no mystery what other clubs want and what the demand is. The price is high. Um, but with with that being said, um, Ryan Weiss contract um is actually um a a pretty good deal for him. He’s going to be making more money than than he’s ever made, guaranteed 2.6 million. Um, there is a club option for 2027. Um, he could get a potential $10 million over the course of this pack that he has with the Houston Astros. And so, um, here’s a guy that, um, has has been through some adversity in life. He left America to go to Korea and had a high level of success. Spins the ball well. I think has a decent number in when it comes to VO. I think he’s got enough swing and miss stuff. And I think Ryan Weiss is going to be very pleasing to the Astros fan eye when he gets on the mound because he, you know, you will have seen Jason Alexander a year before doing this coming out of nowhere. We’ve seen the Astros pitching lab do their work and I don’t see that it’s any different for Ryan Weiss. um listened to a little bit of his interview um on the Clutch City podcast with uh with um Chandler and you know he had some he he had some really good insight into where he is, where he wants to be and I I think the Houston Astros can really you know they really have a diamond in the rough here. I I I think they also found a diamond in the rough with their rule five pick as well. So we’ve seen the Astros do this. What do you think? What are your thoughts on this? Ryan Weiss. I’m glad it’s a major league contract. Yeah, it’s a major league contract and um I’m pretty sure if he pitches halfway decent, they’re going to pick up that contract for 2027. And uh the Astros basically are they’re desperate for him to pitch well because if he shows anything like he did in Korea, then it’s going to be really good for the Astros. But um it’s a lowrisk, high reward type of deal. And if he doesn’t do well, um, it’s only 2.6 million. They don’t have to do the contract for next year. If he does well, it’s only 7 million or something for next season. And it’s not that big of a, uh, deal. So, um, I think in terms of starting pitching, what you see some of these guys making, it’s it’s a bargain. And I think the Astros got a good deal. man. Uh he’s it’s very much unknown right now, but uh the 40man roster is full right now, especially with Weiss signing and Munos being added to the 40man roster, that means there’s no more open spots. So, if you’re going to go and add anybody, whether it’s through free agency or trades, um you’re going to have to find some spots on the 40man roster. And they’ve already they can’t do any more. um uh non-tenders or anything like that. So, from here, it’s just going to be uh just placing uh people on waiverss and that type of thing. So, uh it’s going to be a lot that you’re going to be seeing because like Dana Brown said, I felt like we made some good progress and on like trade talks, that’s a good thing. When you’re get in the neighborhood of feeling like you could get a deal done, that’s a awesome. So, I think he has some the framework of some deals done, but it’s just a matter of just figuring out exactly what the other team wants and just kind of um seeing what works for both teams. So, whether it’s the Rays for um Shane Boss or somebody else, uh they’ll they’ll try to figure out something that works. Yeah, exactly. And you know, as we um before we get into the conversation of like who we think is is is going to be traded, um I just want to say that I think the rule five strategy was excellent because, you know, Miguel Yola was someone that was going to be picked up. Now, there was a minor league phase in this rule five draft. They added Trey McGlaughlin from the Mets, outfielder Edwin Sanchez from the Dodgers system. They did lose one minor league player, Abel Mercedes of the um to the to the Athletics. Um but again, Rodri Munoz has major league um experience. He is a guy that I think can contribute. I think the Astros bullpen this year is going to be solid. And I really think they’re counting on Miguel Ulola reducing that walk rate and improving that strikeout rate because if they can get him on an absolute tear this year and even contribute 80 to 90% of what they have for him, shoot 70%. I think it’s a really really good thing, Eric. Um, so when we’re looking at someone like Peralta, you know, we’re going to have to trade. when we’re looking at someone like um you know Jake Myers, Esacho Parades, um Christian Walker, um let me ask you this before we get to who we think will be traded. Who do you think is the least likely to be traded out of Walker, Pedes, and Jake Myers? Because they can’t all three be traded, right? I mean, who do you think is most likely to stay? Let me say that. Um, unfortunately this not be very popular among fans, but I think Christian Walker, I just don’t think that he has a big market. I think that there may have been a few teams that are interested. Uh, there is a chance with Pete Alonzo going to the Orioles that the Mets get a little bit desperate and they may trade um him over to uh the Mets and maybe for a pitcher or something. But I wouldn’t expect the Astros to get a lot in return for Christian Walker. It may just be a bad contract for a bad contract. But um I would that’s the only team that I could see could go after uh Christian Walker at this point. So I just think that that last season was such a drop from what what his normal production. And yes, it was just mostly the first start of the season, but I think it it was enough to just scare some teams away. Uh, but I think that’s the most likely person not to be traded. And I think the person with the most trade value is Esso Bradies. But we’ll go and continue this discussion. Thank you for making Lock on Astros podcast your first listener every day. That’s right. We’re here to talk to you about our friends at Game Time. The World Cup is coming back to North America for the first time since 1994 with 48 teams for the first time ever. It’s going to be massive. But let’s be honest, getting tickets is usually the hardest part. That’s why the Game Time app is clutch. Finally giving fans a real advantage when it comes to snagging seats at the pitch. That’s right. Grabbing seats to watch football, international football game time. You can track price drops in real time, get alerts when the seat opens, and also buy tickets the moment they hit the app. It puts the power back in your hands and makes going to World Cup realist realistic instead of impossible. Heck, if you watched Game Time app today as the Texans were about to kick off to the Cardinals, ticket prices were dropping and man, there were some deals. Had I been really ready, I could have just driven down to NRG and made myself a nice seat there to watch that shellacking. But the seat view fe uh feature is a gamecher. Prices include fees upfront, which I love. No last second surprises at checkout. Take the guesswork out of buying World Cup tickets or NFL tickets at every match, concert, or event at game time. Download the Game Time app. Create an account and use the code locked on MLOB for $20 off your first purchase. Again, download the app, make an account, and use the code locked on mob for $20 off. Swipe tap ticket. Go game time. Hey guys, thank you for making Locked on Astros podcast your first listen every day. Whether it’s on YouTube, go and subscribe to us. Go and make us first listen. Apple, Odyssey, Spotify, wherever you listen your podcast, go and check us out. Um, thank you for making us part of the number one uh lock podcast network out there. Locked on. You already live your team. You love your team every day. So now take it up a level and go ad free. Join the Everyday Air Club today and get locked on Astros with no interruptions. members only, Discord access, and more. All for just $5 a month and $50 a year. Just go to uh lockedonastros.supcast.com and check the links in the show notes to learn more. So Brett, I go ahead. Oh, no. Oh, no. Go ahead, Eric. I didn’t mean to cut you off. No. So, um I would say of the other two guys, um Jake Meyers is likely to be traded just because there’s a need for outfielders, but I think the most the guy with the most trade value to give you like valuable pieces like I wouldn’t say more like Kyle Tucker did, but I think that Esso trades after what he did last year, I think he opened eyes across baseball with not only just his patience, with his power with his everything that he he did for Houston Astros last year. He’s going to bring back the biggest hall. It’s not be like you got for Kyle Tucker, but it’s going to be decent. Yeah. I mean, and it it it could be a trade package that we don’t have any clue that we see coming. I mean, look, um, someone in our chat actually proposes, um, a trade here and they say, “Look at this. The Astros receive Jiren Durant, Payton Tol from the Red Sox. The Red Sox received Eso Parades and Jake Meyers.” Hey, that’s definitely not something I’ve thought of. I mean, is it out of the realm of possibility? I guess nothing is impossible, right? Um, um, I’m going to squash that because they have too many outfielders as is. Why? Well, I’m just saying no. Right. All I’m saying is no. No, not a bad proposal. Um, good job for being on the show live and coming up with that. But I think the most value you have in Eso Parade, you you have is what you have in Esoch Paradus. Um, I would like Christian Walker to have more value because I think trading off his contract and getting getting some of that money off the books would be a huge advantage for the Astros. And I hate to be blas and copy Eric, but Jake Meyers to me seems to be the most likely. Now, that’s depending what I think the Red Sox do. And if the Red Sox do make a play for Esoch Pedis, they’re going to have to meet the Astros demands. And that’s where I think the Astros hold the cards in that in that type of deal. The other deals, the other teams hold the cards. Jake Meyers is only as valuable as a team that needs him and gives right gives something back for him. And so is Christian Walker. Now, Christian Walker, you could see him maybe having options explored through the New York Mets. They just lost Peter Lonzo. They just lost out on one of their core guys, a power bat. Now, Christian Walker is not Peter Lonzo and Peter Lonzo is not Christian Walker, but Christian Walker is a heck of a sec heck of a first baseman. He can hit for power. Can he handle the bright lights in New York? I don’t know. It’s City Field. It’s not Yankee Stadium. There’s a place that you could end up going. Um Christian Walker. Singa has a lot of money on his contract. Do they trade bad contract for bad contract? Or maybe not bad, but do they trade two expensive contracts for for each other? Offset them with each other? I don’t know. Um but in my mind, I think Jake Meyers will get traded. I think if Astros fans want a trade that they get something back, you’re gonna want to trade Esoch Pedis because of the value he has. It’s not something I’m on board with 100% because I like him in this lineup, but there’s no way, Eric, that Walker and Pedis go into camp together on this roster. I I just don’t see it happening. I think Meyers is the easiest to get traded, but if you’re trying to cure the log jam, one of those two, Walker or Paris has to go. So, who do I think gets traded? I think Eso Paradius gets traded. Um, but not that we want him to be traded at all. Right. Right. I think he’s the one that gets traded because he’s got the most value. Um, but then again, you’re losing a guy with a great bat. You’re losing a guy with a great eye. you’re losing a guy that can play multiple infield positions. So, it’s just one of those things where you’re going to have to bite the bullet and it’s not going to be one of those trades where it’s good for both teams. It may not be. Uh I think that um they the Mets did sign Jorge Blanco. Uh the good thing is he won’t be with the Mariners anymore. He could potentially play some first base um as well. That’s something I was going to mention earlier, but um I I don’t know just how much value Walker has. And so it just I don’t know what Dana Brown’s going to do. I think I know he’s probably had conversations, set the the framework, and I think over the next week or two, um they’ll they’ll kind of get some the ground. I think Christmas and New Year’s they’ll kind of slow down a little bit, but I think in January is when all the trade talks will start hitting up again, but Danner Brown knows that he’s got some work to do. Um, this this team was good last year, but you’re losing from Valdez. You’re losing um it sounds like Victor Keratini may not be coming back because I think that if he was coming back, he probably would have been signed already. So, uh, I think but then again, I don’t I mean, there’s a lot of guys that haven’t been signed. I I I don’t know. The fact that he hasn’t signed here doesn’t mean it’s less likely that he comes here, but I waiting for a starting gig. Of course, he’s probably waiting for a starting gig. Um, you know, you know, teams are calling about Yiner. I mean, I know there’s a lot of people who want to trade Yiner, but the Astros like him and he’s got plus he’s got 20 plus power. If his defense improves any, that’s a plus for the Astros, but he’s a guy that they could want, right? Um, but at at the end of the day, the Astros have got a lot of glaring questions and if they want to go to the playoffs and they want to make a deep playoff run, they have to get a number two starter, they have to get value for one of these trades. And guys like Zack Cole, Jacob Meltton, Ryan Weiss, they’ve got to hit. They’ve got to hit on them being on this team. I don’t mean hit the baseball. I mean they’ve got to hit as being on the team. Yordon Alvarez has to stay healthy. And Tez, you are right. Diaz is still young. Diaz is not old. He’s still controllable. He’s got high up upside. He’s got great potential. The Astros do have some really really good players this next year, but the holes and the conundrum in the in the middle infield has got to get fixed at some point. Yeah. Um, as far as I know, Victor Keratini has not signed with anybody. Somebody said that in comments he’s been signed. That’s why I didn’t even address it because that’s not true. Yeah. Yeah. I know the Rangers were looking at him, but they went with Jansen instead. So, um, Victor Keratini is still out there, but I think he’s waiting for a starting gig. As much as he loves playing for Houston Astros, and I know that Tez also was asking about the minor league system and why um Jim Crane sold them all. I think it was more to um I don’t think it was to have a sudden influx of cash. What uh to go ahead and pay Justin Berliner. I think it was basically to focus more on the development of players versus running the actual um teams. And so I think that’s what the the Astros originally wanted to own it just so they can have full control over everything that happens. But then that became a little bit overwhelming. They had to hire all these people to run it. And so now they have somebody else doing that. So, all they can just do now is focus on uh having the uh just focusing on developing the players. So, what you’re saying is they’re going to get better because of this move. And there’s no promises that they have to draft better. I’m messing with you. No, it also it also frees up it also brings in more money um because someone purchased these teams. They didn’t they weren’t cheap. Um they they are still part of the Astros organization. When I initially saw it, I was like, “Oh, wait. Are we changing minor league teams again? Surely not. No, that that’s not what’s going on. We’re just we’re just trying to move some money around on the books so that we got more money to spend. Maybe. But I’m pretty sure that Crane is still dead set on staying under the luxury tax. He doesn’t want to go over it a third season in a row. Now, there is a possibility they go over it and then trade to get under it mid-season. They could do that, but that’s a little bit more tricky. Hoping people will trade with you to get under that point. And if you’re contending, you’re not gonna do that. Or you could do like the Angels did one year and just like dump a whole bunch of people right before that. I remember that. That was a great GO with one. They traded for Lucas Glo and then they dumped them. I believe he was one of the people, but uh yeah, that’s crazy. Um I know that somebody in chat also asked, “Do the Astros have to find new minor league teams?” No, they’re still Astros farm still. Yes. Uh they’re just not under Astros’s control. There’s just instead of being owned by the Astros, they’re just a part of the Astros far. It’s like if you have a house and you’re putting it up for rent, instead of you being a landlord, you hire a a a company to to, you know, be a landlord for your home. And if any rental home companies want to come on as a sponsor, you know where to find us. Look for me at Htown Wheelhouse. I would love to give you to our local ad guys. Um we would we would love to bring on a sponsor for 2026. Yeah. So, uh we’ll definitely be talking about this all off season and tomorrow we’ll be focusing a little bit more about the uh Freddy Peralta rumors because I I want to focus a little bit the whole show on that because I think that’s a pretty um important rumor that probably needs to be addressed. Do the Astros go all in? So, we’ll talk about that tomorrow. And uh thank you for making us your first listen where whether it’s Apple, Odyssey, Spotify, wherever you listen to your podcast, go and check us out. And Brett, tell us about the Everyday Club. That’s right. The Everyday Club is here for you. Thank you for making Locked on Astros your first listen. And thank you for making us the number one sports podcast network. You already live your team every single day. Now take it to the next level and go ad free. Join the Everyday Club today to get Locked on Astros with no interruptions. Members only Discord access and more. All for just $5 a month or $50 a year. Go to lockedonastros.supcast.com or check the link in the show notes to learn more. Again, thank you for making your making Locked on Astros your first listen every single day. Thank you for making Locked on the number one sports podcast network. We appreciate you as a true diehard fan. And if you go all access guys, if you become an all access, you get 15% off on all locked on merch. You get an exclusive newsletter, all access podcast, daily text, one-on-one text from Eric and myself, and so much more. 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Houston Astros face a pivotal offseason as a crowded infield sparks intense trade speculation. Will stars like Isak Paredes, Christian Walker, or Jake Myers be dealt to make room for Jose Altuve’s everyday role at second base? Hosts Eric Huysman and Brett Chancey dissect Dana Brown’s strategy, evaluating the value of key players and weighing possible blockbuster trades with teams like the Red Sox and Mets.

The episode spotlights Houston’s pressing need for a frontline starter to support Hunter Brown and analyzes moves like the Rule 5 addition of Rodri Munoz and the signing of Ryan Weiss. Is the Astros’ bullpen set for a resurgence, and can young talent like Yiner Diaz and Zach Cole step up? Unpacking potential trade packages, roster challenges, and payroll strategies, the hosts ask: Are the Astros truly done for the offseason, or is a major shake-up on the horizon?

00:00 Winter Meetings Recap & Trade Talk

03:07 Astros’ Pitching and Infield Plans

07:46 Astros Trade Speculation Insight

15:07 Astros’ Low-Risk Pitching Gamble

19:01 Christian Walker’s Limited Trade Value

26:03 Isaac Paredes Trade Predicted

28:51 Astros’ Playoff Hopes Uncertain

30:01 Astros Decisions and Player Moves

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