Houston Astros News

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez could see time in left field, given Houston's current outfield situation. Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported that manager Joe Espada has noted that Alvarez will see time in left field this season, but it is still unclear how often. Alvarez has only eclipsed the 50-game mark in the outfield twice in his career and is coming off an injury-plagued 2025 campaign. While it is expected he sees most of the time at DH, given Houston's lack of answers in the outfield, the slugger could find himself on defense more than expected. Currently, Cam Smith, Joey Loperfido, and Zach Cole are expected to compete for the starting corner spots, but none have shown any sustained production in the big leagues. Alvarez played in only 48 games last summer but held an elite .988 OPS from 2022 through 2024. While the 28-year-old only has utility eligibility on most platforms, this recent update suggests he may gain outfield eligibility much sooner than expected, which would significantly boost his fantasy value.

MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports that the Houston Astros' chances of trading third baseman Isaac Paredes before the start of the 2026 season are "diminishing." Paredes missed two months last year in his first season in Houston due to a serious hamstring tear, which led to the team reacquiring Carlos Correa to play third. The 27-year-old is now blocked in the infield with Jose Altuve moving back to second base, and at designated hitter (Yordan Alvarez). Paredes is moving around at multiple different positions this spring, and a utility role might be his best path to playing time, barring an injury. Despite playing in only 102 games, Paredes reached the 20-homer mark for the third time in his six MLB seasons while slashing .254/.352/.458 with an .809 OPS. His 2026 fantasy value is unsettled without a clear path to regular playing time. A trade out of town with an everyday role would be the best outcome from a fantasy perspective.

Houston Astros left-handed closer Josh Hader (biceps) was seen playing catch in camp from around 90 feet on Wednesday, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Left-biceps inflammation was the reason Hader was shut down going into spring training, but the fact that he's already throwing means that he should be ready for Opening Day in late March, barring a setback. The 31-year-old veteran high-leverage reliever carries much more risk in fantasy baseball heading into the 2026 season, though, after also missing the final month and a half last year due to a left-shoulder strain. The six-time All-Star was one of the most dominant closers in the game when he was healthy in 2025, posting a 2.05 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 28 saves, 76 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 52 2/3 innings pitched. Because of his injuries, Hader has slipped to the No. 15 closer ranking at RotoBaller. Bryan Abreu would likely be first in line for saves if Hader were to miss time this year.

Houston Astros left-hander Colton Gordon will make the start for the team in their Grapefruit League opener on Saturday against the Washington Nationals, according to manager Joe Espada. However, Gordon is not expected to make the Opening Day roster, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. The 27-year-old southpaw made his major-league debut last year and went 6-4 with a 5.34 ERA (5.37 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with 72 strikeouts and 19 walks in 20 outings (14 starts) over 86 innings. Gordon worked the second-most innings last season among pitchers the team returns this spring, and he should be an option for Houston's rotation later this year. The former eighth-rounder in 2021 out of the University of Central Florida had an excellent 5% walk rate, but he only struck out 19% of the hitters he faced and was mostly unremarkable. Gordon's fantasy value will be limited as a soft-tosser.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve will spend most of his spring working exclusively at second base, manager Joe Espada told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Altuve started last season in left field and played 45 games there, but he also appeared at the keystone in 63 games in 2025 and will return to the position he's played most of his career in 2026. With the 35-year-old veteran moving back to the infield full-time, it has opened up playing time in left field for Zach Cole in Houston. Meanwhile, with Carlos Correa locked in at third, Isaac Paredes is a trade candidate before Opening Day. Altuve is still a top-10 fantasy second baseman, but Father Time is starting to catch up with him, both offensively and defensively. He hit .265 last year with a .771 OPS, which was his worst since the shortened 2020 campaign. Altuve still hit 26 homers, but he had a sizeable drop in steals (10). Fantasy managers shouldn't consider him a lock for a 20-20 season.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (ankle) said that he is pain-free and back to 100 percent as spring training gets underway, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. "Right now I feel great," Alvarez said. "No pain right now." The slugger landed on the injured list with a left ankle sprain back in September, and he didn't return for the rest of the season. He had missed a previous portion of the campaign with right hand inflammation. Across just 48 games in 2025, he slashed .273/.367/.430 with six home runs, a 14.1% walk rate, a 16.6% strikeout rate, and 118 wRC+. He had posted at least 167 wRC+ in each of the three seasons before that, so it's safe to say that Alvarez is looking to get back to his fully-healthy, pre-2025 form. He currently ranks as the #11 outfielder in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings for 2026.

Houston Astros infielder Isaac Paredes said he'll work at first base, second base, and third base in camp this year, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Paredes also said he'll be a 100% participant in activities this spring after tearing his hamstring last year. The 26-year-old has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason and could be a man without a position on Opening Day, with Carlos Correa set to start at third base and Jose Altuve moving back to second base full-time. Despite playing in only 102 games in 2025 in his first year in Houston due to his hamstring injury, Paredes hit .254/352/.458 with an .809 OPS, 20 home runs, 53 RBI, and 53 runs scored in 438 plate appearances. His hamstring recovery could still be an issue, but the biggest setback for his 2026 fantasy value is his uncertain playing time if he sticks with the Astros. RotoBaller currently has him ranked as the No. 14 fantasy third baseman.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai is gearing up for his first MLB season after eight years in the NPB. During his final international season, the right-hander posted a career-best 1.92 ERA and 2.01 FIP along with his 9.79 K/9 and 2.47 BB/9. He demonstrated an elite ability to limit hard contact with his 0.33 HR/9 and 48.3% ground ball rate. Moving stateside will definitely present some adversity for Imai, who likely won't repeat quite the same level of success he had in 2025. However, he clearly still has immense upside ahead of his debut season in the United States. Evidently, the Astros agree, as they were willing to pay him $54 million across three years. He'll be tasked with helping fill the void of ace Framber Valdez, who departed for the Detroit Tigers. Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier will also slot into top-of-the-rotation roles. As it stands, Imai ranks as the #48 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

Houston Astros right-hander Nate Pearson (elbow) had a cleanup surgery on his right elbow in the offseason, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Pearson was scheduled to throw a bullpen session in camp on Friday, though, and appears to be just fine for the start of the 2026 season with his new team. The 29-year-old signed a one-year, $1.35 million contract with Houston in the offseason. Pearson has primarily been a reliever since 2021, but the Astros are going to stretch him out as a starter this spring. The former first-rounder by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017 out of the College of Central Florida has a career ERA over 5.00 in five major-league seasons, and he allowed 15 earned runs with 10 walks and seven strikeouts in just 14 2/3 relief frames for the Cubbies in 2025. The hard-throwing right-hander was once one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball, but he just has not lived up to expectations. Fantasy managers will want to take a wait-and-see approach with Pearson in his return to a starting role.

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown commented on Friday, "We're not done yet," after completing the trade with the Blue Jays that brought outfielder Joey Loperfido back to the organization that drafted him. The Astros have been in talks with multiple teams about possibly trading corner infielder Isaac Paredes, who appears to be the odd man out in terms of regular at-bats, with Carlos Correa expected to man third and Christian Walker at first. Paredes had a good year in 2025 for the Astros despite missing significant time due to injury, blasting 20 home runs in just 102 games with a .353 wOBA and 128 wRC+. He looks like a decent value in drafts right now, currently ranked at 181 at RotoBaller, while the 26-year-old has an NFBC ADP of 193. Keep an eye out for news, as his landing spot could have a positive (Boston) or negative (Pittsburgh) impact on his fantasy value.

Outfielder Joey Loperfido was sent from the Toronto Blue Jays to the Houston Astros on Friday in exchange for outfielder Jesus Sanchez. Loperfido heads back to the team that drafted him back in 2021 and the team he debuted with in 2024. In 122 career games in the big leagues, the former seventh-round draft pick has slashed .248/.297/.392, but has some big power that could prove fantasy-worthy if he gets regular at-bats, although he'll likely begin the season in a platoon role. Sanchez has even bigger power, with 93rd-percentile bat speed, which produced the longest home run of the 2024 season, a 480-foot blast that came off the bat at 116.4 mph. The 28-year-old has some base-stealing ability, too, swiping 13 in 134 games last season, but the left-handed slugger struggles versus left-handed pitching (career .181 AVG), so he will likely be relegated to a platoon role early in the year as well. Without regular at-bats, neither player is draftable in most fantasy formats.

There's a chance that Houston Astros left-handed closer Josh Hader (biceps) will be forced to open the 2026 regular season on the injured list, which would open the door for right-handed reliever Bryan Abreu to begin the campaign as the team's primary closer. Hader experienced "arm soreness" before his fourth bullpen session of the winter, and imaging showed "bicep inflammation." The veteran closer will resume his throwing program on Wednesday, but Hader's status for Opening Day is now in question. The 28-year-old Abreu was one of just five relievers to record 100 strikeouts in 2025, and he did it for the third straight year. The 28-year-old Dominican added a 2.28 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a career-best seven saves in 70 relief appearances in 2025. If Hader should miss any time at all, Abreu's stock would increase dramatically.

Houston Astros right-hander Hunter Brown has been named the team's Opening Day starter, manager Joe Espada told The Athletic's Chandler Rome. After a breakout 2025 campaign, Brown will be a must-start for fantasy managers in his Opening Day nod in a plus matchup against the Los Angeles Angels at home. The 27-year-old former fifth-rounder in 2019 out of Wayne State finished third in the American League Cy Young voting last year after going 12-9 with a career-best 2.43 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 206:57 K:BB in 185 1/3 innings pitched over 31 starts for the Astros. Brown was able to hold opponents to a .201 batting average with a six-pitch mix. He has a high floor because of his ability to neutralize both righties and lefties. Brown might struggle to improve on his 2025 numbers, but going into 2026 fantasy drafts, he should be considered a top-12 starting pitcher.

Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (foot) sprained his left foot while playing winter ball in December, manager Joe Espada told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Diaz is still participating in baseball activities, but his running progression will be behind some of the other players. The 27-year-old backstop is hitting and will catch a bullpen session at camp on Wednesday. The Astros don't seem to have any concerns that Diaz might not be ready for Opening Day in late March. The Dominican catcher reached 20 home runs in 2025 for the second time in his career while slashing .256/.284/.417 with a .701 OPS, 70 RBI, and 56 runs scored in 143 games played. Diaz's drop in batting average from .299 to .256 was likely due to his regression in BABIP from .338 to .277. He doesn't have ideal plate discipline, but he makes enough contact to hold a decent average while supplying enough power to make him a low-end starting catcher in fantasy.

According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader (biceps) underwent imaging that revealed inflammation in his biceps. Earlier in the offseason, Hader dealt with "arm soreness" as well. While the veteran is expected to resume a throwing program later on Wednesday, his status for Opening Day is "in flux." Managers should continue to closely monitor his status throughout the spring, as he may have a delayed start to the campaign. Last summer, Hader logged only 52 2/3 innings due to a late-season shoulder strain, which cut his campaign short. However, he remained one of the sport's top closers, posting a 2.05 ERA with a 0.86 WHIP and earning 28 saves. If Hader were to miss Opening Day, Bryan Abreu would hold high-end short-term value in all formats.

Houston Astros starting pitchers Lance McCullers Jr. and Spencer Arrighetti have the inside track on claiming starting rotation spots to open the season, but it's expected to be a top spring training battle to watch. The Astros are going with a six-man rotation to accommodate Tatsuya Imai's arrival from Japan and a busy early-season schedule. Hunter Brown, Imai, Mike Burrows, and Cristian Javier are almost guaranteed to be in the rotation, with Arrighetti, McCullers, Ryan Weiss, Jason Alexander, Nate Pearson, Colton Gordon, and AJ Blubaugh all in the mix for the other spots. Arrighetti and McCullers have the most MLB experience, and Pearson is still returning from a "cleanup" on his elbow. While the competition will be exciting to watch this spring, the depth is outstanding for the Astros since they've dealt with so many starting pitcher injuries in the last few seasons.

Houston Astros All-Star closer Josh Hader (shoulder) has been throwing lightly and on flat ground as spring training begins for the Astros, according to Buster Olney of ESPN. Hader and the Astros hope to learn more about where he stands in his preparation for the 2026 season in the middle of this week. The 31-year-old southpaw missed the last seven-plus weeks of last season with a left-shoulder strain, but he said earlier in the offseason that he feels "back to normal," and he should be ready for Opening Day, barring a setback in spring training. Hader is a bit more of a risk for fantasy managers entering the 2026 campaign, but with his nasty fastball/slider mix, he showed last year before his shoulder injury that he's still one of the most dominant closers in the game. He held a 2.05 ER and 0.85 WHIP with a 29.1 K-BB percentage, which was fifth among qualified relievers. If Hader has a setback before or during the season, Bryan Abreu would likely be the favorite to take over the closing job in Houston.

The Houston Astros' trade talks surrounding corner infielder Isaac Paredes are "intensifying," according to Chandler Rome of Crush City Territory. "There appears to be some pretty direct motivation, and it appears that things are gaining some momentum," Rome said. He added that up to five teams (including the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates) have expressed interest in acquiring the 26-year-old. Paredes' name has been one of the most oft-mentioned in trade rumors this offseason, and for good reason. He's appealing to opposing teams because he's a power-hitting threat with solid walk and strikeout numbers, and he's a reasonable trade candidate for the Astros because he's not currently in an everyday role. Carlos Correa is expected to spend most of the season at third base, and Christian Walker should play somewhat consistently at first base. As a result, Paredes' path to consistent playing time would likely be a trade. He's a free agent after the 2027 season, and any trade won't necessarily come cheap. He's coming off a strong campaign in which he slashed .254/.352/.458 across 102 games with 20 home runs, 53 RBI, 128 wRC+, an 11.7% walk rate, and a 17.4% strikeout rate. Of the two prospective teams that Rome mentioned, Boston has a clear need at third base after losing Alex Bregman, and Pittsburgh has been looking for an upgrade at the hot corner ever since trading away Ke'Bryan Hayes. The latest Steamer projections estimate that Paredes will post 125 wRC+ in 2026 if he stays in Houston. He currently ranks as the #30 corner infielder and #106 hitter in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings.

Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and will be built up as a starter during spring training, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. McCullers, one of the most injury-prone pitchers in baseball, returned to the Astros in 2025 after missing two full seasons following surgery on his right forearm. The 32-year-old veteran went on the injured list three separate times last year and appeared in 16 games (13 starts), going 2-5 with a 6.51 ERA (5.77 FIP) and 1.81 WHIP with 61 strikeouts and 39 walks in 55 1/3 innings. Perhaps McCullers will be more effective another year removed from his flexor-tendon surgery, but at this point, it's hard to imagine him making it through a full season with a starter's workload. He does a good job of keeping the ball out of the air, but his serious durability concerns will keep most fantasy managers far away, even in the deepest of formats.

Catcher Yainer Diaz won his salary arbitration case against the Houston Astros on Tuesday, a source told Francys Romero. Diaz will make $4.5 million in 2026 after the Astros filed at $3 million. In his fourth year in the majors with the Astros in 2025, Diaz slashed .256/.284/.417 with a .701 OPS, 20 home runs, 70 RBI, and 56 runs scored in 143 games and 567 plate appearances. It was the second time that the 27-year-old backstop had 20 homers in his career, but his batting average fell more than 40 points. The free-swinging catcher still makes plenty of contact despite his lack of plate discipline, but fantasy managers certainly expect another high average after he was buoyed by a .338 BABIP in 2024. Diaz's low walk rate makes him a liability in leagues that count on-base percentage. But with plenty of pop at catcher and everyday playing time, Diaz is a low-end No. 1 catching option in fantasy baseball.