5 bold predictions that could define the Astros’ 2025 season ft. Yordan Alvarez winning MVP

For their standards, the 2024 season was a huge disappointment for the Houston Astros. After making some big changes to their roster, this season represents a totally new reality. Here are some bold predictions for what that entails.

---

Bold predictions for the 2025 Astros

5) Josh Hader will be a Cy Young finalist

Josh Hader will be a Cy Young finalist (Imagn)

Emmanuel Clase laid out the blueprint for a reliever being named a Cy Young finalist. There will probably not be a win for a reliever, but they can obviously be a finalist. Josh Hader, one of the best relievers in baseball, will be one this season.

Hader has a career 2.70 ERA, so it's probable that his 3.80 ERA last year was a fluke. If he can rack up saves and continue pitching at a dominant level like he has in the past, he can be a finalist for the award.

---

4) Christian Walker will have a career year

Christian Walker will have a career year (Imagn)

Christian Walker has never had more than 3.9 fWAR and a 122 wRC+ in a full season. He should eclipse both those totals in 2025. He will be in a slightly pitcher-friendly park, but he's still primed for a big year.

He will have the benefit of some really good hitters hitting around him. The Arizona Diamondbacks have a good offense, but they don't have Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez and possibly Alex Bregman to hit in front of Walker. That should drive up his offensive production.

---

3) Framber Valdez will win the Cy Young

Framber Valdez will win the Cy Young (Imagn)

Framber Valdez is one of baseball's best pitchers. The American League is filled with elite pitching talent, though. Gerrit Cole, Logan Gilbert, Kevin Gausman, Max Fried, Garrett Crochet, Tarik Skubal, Cole Ragans and more could all win a Cy Young this year.

Valdez is right there with all of them. If he stays healthy all year and makes 35 starts, it's hard to envision too many pitchers having a better year than the Astros ace.

---

2) Yordan Alvarez will win MVP

Yordan Alvarez will win an MVP (Imagn)

It has always felt like Yordan Alvarez was close to winning an MVP award. He's just had two things working against him: elite talent in the AL and his position. Now that Shohei Ohtani is gone and has opened the door for a DH to win the MVP, Alvarez has a good chance.

Since 2019, his debut season, Alvarez has been second in all of baseball with a 166 wRC+. He's been the best hitter not named Aaron Judge in that period. If Judge fails to put up a historic year again, Alvarez might finally get his award.

---

1) The Astros will make the World Series

The Astros will make the World Series (Imagn)

Last year was the first time since 2016 that the Astros didn't make the ALCS at the very least. How will they respond? By making it to the World Series this time. They had a brutal start to the season. They finished on a hot streak that more closely resembled the Astros everyone knows and doesn't love.

The AL is pretty wide open. It's not as deep as the NL, and the New York Yankees, the defending champs, are a slightly worse team without Juan Soto. The door is open for the Astros to return to the Fall Classic and they will do just that.