Projecting the Astros Opening Day Roster 3.0

The Astros will open the 2026 season in exactly one week. At this point in most springs, there might be two or three roster spots still up for grabs, but this year’s 26-man roster feels much murkier. Here is my third and final stab at projecting who will be in uniform next week when the Astros host the Los Angeles Angels.

Starting pitchers: Hunter Brown, Christian Javier, Tatsuya Imai, Mike Burrows, Spencer Arrighetti, Lance McCullers Jr

Also considered: None

It’s been a very good spring for this group, outside of Arrighetti’s first outing. All six are healthy, and all six are throwing the ball well. Even the pitchers outside this group have looked good whenever they’ve taken the ball, so this rotation has the makings of being both very strong and very deep.

Bullpen: Bryan Abreu, Bryan King, Steven Okert, AJ Blubaugh, Ryan Weiss, Enyel De Los Santos, Kai-Wei Teng

Also considered: Roddery Muñoz, Peter Lambert

Bennett Sousa suffered an oblique injury, so he’ll join Josh Hader on the IL to start the season. I’m still working under the assumption that De Los Santos will be ready for Opening Day after suffering an ankle injury, but he has yet to appear in a spring training game.

Muñoz has not allowed an earned run in his last seven outings after giving up two in his debut. He has 14 strikeouts over 8.1 innings and must remain on the active roster all season after being selected in the Rule 5 Draft over the winter.

A former second-round pick, Lambert has impressed after a season in Japan, and The Athletic reported that he can opt out of his minor league deal at the end of spring training. He’s put himself in position to make someone’s Opening Day roster if he doesn’t make the Astros’.

Catchers: Yainer Diaz, Christian Vázquez

Also considered: Cèsar Salazar

The Astros wasted no time getting Vázquez into a game after he joined the club following Puerto Rico’s elimination from the WBC. I think he was signed to open the season as Díaz’s backup, but that plan carries some risk. Salazar is out of options, so the Astros would have to expose him to waivers if they send him down.

Infielders: Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Jeremy Peña, Christian Walker, Isaac Paredes, Nick Allen

Also considered: Brice Matthews, Zach Dezenzo

We still don’t know if Peña, who fractured a finger during a WBC tune-up game, will be available for Opening Day. However, the Astros haven’t ruled it out, which suggests that even if he can’t go next Thursday, he wouldn’t miss enough time to require an IL stint.

Outfielders/DH: Yordan Alvarez Jake Meyers, Cam Smith, Joey Loperfido, Taylor Trammell

Also considered: Zach Cole , Zach Dezenzo

I’ve had Cole on the Opening Day roster in each of my first two projections, but he’s up to 17 strikeouts in 42 plate appearances—north of 40%. His results on balls in play haven’t been much better, so a little time in Sugar Land might do him some good.

Dezenzo’s elbow injury likely takes him out of the running for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Projecting the Astros Opening Day Roster 3.0

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