The Houston Astros clearly need to upgrade the first base position this offseason.
Houston tried to fix the spot by bringing José Abreu to town, but the move didn’t work out. The Astros likely will be looking for a way to fill the hole this offseason and the Chicago Cubs could be an intriguing trade partner.
Chicago has been rumored to be interested in offloading All-Star slugger Cody Bellinger this offseason. He will make $27.5 million in 2025 and he can play at first base and in the outfield.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and David Schoenfield make a list of which trades they want to see happen at the upcoming Winter Meetings and McDaniel suggested Bellinger to the Astros.
“McDaniel: Houston Astros,” McDaniel said. “The Astros are in a tough spot. Alex Bregman is currently a free agent, and Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, and Ryan Pressly are all set to hit free agency next winter. Does GM Dana Brown try to keep the band together and sign/extend most of these players, or does he try to pivot, diversify, and get a bit younger in the process? The farm system isn’t offering a ton of help, the core is getting older and Houston doesn’t have unlimited payroll space.
“Taking Bellinger with his positional versatility and (one + one) contract allows for some creativity in solving these problems — and he wouldn’t cost much in terms of prospects. Bellinger is set to make $27.5 million this year and has a $5 million buyout of a $25 million player option for 2026. If the Cubs pitch in $10 million, they could get a second-tier prospect or two in return. Then, the Astros can make decisions on Bregman, Tucker, and Valdez with a real option to let Bregman walk or trade the other two.”
Bellinger is someone who easily could improve the first base spot for the Astros likely without giving up too much. They should look to free agency as well to see if there are cheaper options out there, but Bellinger could make sense.
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