5 blockbuster moves the Astros must make this offseason ft. signing Anthony Santander

The Houston Astros had a slow start in 2024 but rebounded well to win their division. However, they flamed out in the postseason, as they were swept at home by the Detroit Tigers.

They could now look to bolster their squad in the offseason. Here are five moves they need to make for 2025.

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What the Astros need to do now

#1 Extend Jeremy Pena

Jeremy Pena should be extended (Imagn)

The Astros have half of their infield on long-term contracts. Both Isaac Paredes, a recent acquisition, and Jeremy Pena are under arbitration. It remains to be seen what Paredes will do in Houston, but Pena is a known commodity.

He is a proven performer, a shortstop capable with the bat and in the field. Those are not the most common things in baseball, so the Astros should have his extension on the front burner.

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#2 Extend Framber Valdez

Framber Valdez should be extended (Imagn)

Framber Valdez is in his arbitration years, but he's been a steady presence at the top of their rotation. They might regret waiting this long to extend their ace, but they need to do it now before it's too late. His price is likely only going to rise, so they should get ahead of it.

With Justin Verlander gone, this is firmly Valdez's team and he deserves to be locked down. The Astros front office has cleared up some money with trades and should be prioritizing that.

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#3 Sign Jeff Hoffman

The Astros could sign Jeff Hoffman (Imagn)

The bullpen is the weakest spot on the Houston Astros. It's far from a weak unit overall, but it lacks depth and familiar faces. Plus, every single team in baseball is always looking for good relievers no matter who they have in the building.

The Astros could use a strong reliever — someone like Jeff Hoffman. He won't cost as much as other players due to his age, but a short-term contract for Hoffman to pair with Ryan Pressly in setup would be smart.

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#4 Sign Anthony Santander

Anthony Santander is still available (Imagn)

The Houston Astros need another bat. They've added Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes, but they lost Kyle Tucker, and likely, Alex Bregman. Their outfield is particularly weak, and they'd probably prefer not to have Yordan Alvarez play left field every day.

Fortunately, one of the best corner outfielders in free agency is still available. Anthony Santander would be an excellent addition to replace Tucker's left-handed bat and fill one of the corner outfield spots.

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#5 Sign Tanner Scott

Tanner Scott should be an Astros target (Imagn)

The Astros have an abundance of starters, many of whom will go to the bullpen. However, aside from Josh Hader, there aren't a ton of reliable, high-leverage players in the pen. Signing Tanner Scott would remedy that.

Scott, with 4.5 fWAR in two seasons, is the best reliever on the market. He and Hader would form a dynamic one-two punch to close out games, and they'd have one of the stronger bullpens in baseball. With only a few glaring holes on the roster, they can afford to prioritize a move like this.