Houston Astros 2026 Preview: Stars Exist, But Seattle Mariners May Be Too Strong
The Houston Astros have a fantastic track record. Before missing the playoffs last season, they made the playoffs in nine consecutive seasons. They won eight division titles, four American League pennants, and two World Series titles.
Their roster losses and the new players they have suggest a team in transition. Framber Valdez signed with the Detroit Tigers. They lost Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman last season. However, they still have Jose Altuve and Hunter Brown. They re-signed Carlos Correa and have a few young players who are going to play with them this season. How many games do you think the Houston Astros will win this season?
2026 Houston Astros Preview
Pitching
The ace of the starting pitching staff for the Houston Astros is Brown. Among his bewildering array of pitches is a knuckle-curve that had a 39% swing and miss rate. Tatsuya Imai is the second pitcher. He was signed as a free agent after putting up great statistics in Japan. Christian Javier is the third starter. He had Tommy John Surgery last year, and returned for 8 starts in 2025 with diminished stuff.
The starting rotation is rounded out by Mike Burrows and Spencer Arrighetti. That said, a host of other starting pitchers could end up in the starting rotation for the Astros, including Lance McCullers Jr.
In relief, the Houston Astros have Josh Hader as their closer. After a shoulder injury last year, his stuff is not what it once was, but he still strikes out about 40% of the batters he faces. Bryan Abreu is likely the second pitcher in the Houston bullpen. He has a 100 miles per hour fastball. Bennett Sousa had a great year last year and hopes to keep it going.
Bryan King is the second great left-handed pitcher in the Astros’ bullpen. Steven Okert throws his slider almost 60% of the time. The Houston bullpen will be rounded out by Enyel De Los Santos and Roddery Munoz. However, we could see Kaleb Ort or Nate Pearson.
Hitting
At catcher, Houston has Yainer Diaz as the starter. He is impatient, but does have some power. He is average defensively. He will be backed up by Cesar Salazar or Walker Janik. At first base, the Astros have a big free agent acquisition from last season in Christian Walker. He started slowly last season, but rebounded to hit 27 home runs, though only at .238. Jose Altuve is the diminutive and venerable second baseman, as the experiment in left field failed.
The Astros signed Correa to play shortstop. His range has declined, though he still hits a lot of line drives. His acquisition means Isaac Paredes will be the utility man. Jeremy Pena, who broke his finger at the World Baseball Classic, is the third baseman. He gained .139 in his OPS last season and is a dangerous part of their lineup.
The outfield for the Houston Astros has Zach Cole in left field, Jake Myers in center, and prospect Cam Smith in right. Myers is an elite defender who has seen his offense improve. Smith has 20/20 potential. Joey Loperfido backs up everyone. Yordan Alvarez will likely be the designated hitter. He is a dangerous hitter, but a liability defensively.
In terms of management, Jim Crane is an aggressive owner. The record speaks volumes. Dana Brown is a player development sort of General Manager. Joe Espada provided continuity when he replaced Dusty Baker for the 2024 season, but the Astros missed the playoffs last season.
Parting Shots
The Astros are an 85-90 win team. They seek to regain the magic that saw them reach the playoffs for 9 consecutive years. However, they will likely be prevented from doing so by a very good Seattle Mariners team. This team will be fascinating to watch because of the mix of old guard and young players.
