Astros linked to a pair of former Twins to bring aboard this winter

No one seems quite certain what the Houston Astros are going to do this offseason.

Will the organization surge forward on the free-agent market after a shocking loss to the Detroit Tigers in the 2024 American League Wild Card round? Or will the team lick its wounds and seek some luxury tax relief by jettisoning some salary?

According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, The Astros are reportedly considering trading $14 million bullpen arm Ryan Pressly to pare some payroll. Starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi is widely believed likely to move on to greener pastures after starring in Houston following a July deadline trade.

Will the Astros use that freed-up money to re-sign free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman? Or will another Major League Baseball team outbid Houston for his services? 

While the organization answers these questions, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com urges them to consider a pair of major-league veterans who will likely fortify the team's roster at a relatively low cost in first baseman Carlos Santana and infielder Jorge Polanco.

While neither name will make front-page headlines in the Houston Chronicle should they sign with the Astros, they possess talents that the team could use.

Santana is a 15-year MLB veteran who won his first Gold Glove while manning first base for the Minnesota Twins in 2024. 

While he possesses just a .242 batting average, Santana has always managed to get on base often. He possesses a career OPS of .785 and posted a .749 in that category last season. That is a number that could certainly help an Astros team that finished 26th in MLB with a .651 OPS from last year's assortment of first basemen.

Polanco was cut loose by the Seattle Mariners this autumn after putting up the worst season of his 11-year big-league career in his first go-around in the Emerald City in 2024.

A switch-hitter, the 31-year-old posted a career-low .651 OPS in 118 games last season as he was severely hobbled by chronic left knee soreness. 

However, he recently had arthroscopic surgery to repair damage to the patellar tendon in the knee, which could give his career a new lease on life. After all, he had a .780 OPS over ten seasons with the Twins before his doomed stint in Seattle.

Planco has largely played the middle infield spots during his career, positions locked up by Jose Altuve and Jeremy Pena. However, he is not unfamiliar with third base and could provide the Astros with a lower-cost alternative at that position should Bregman walk this winter. 

Spotrac projects Santana's market value at $5.6 million on a one-year deal, with Polanco valued at $13.7 million per year on a four-year pact.

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