New Faces and Departures for The Houston Astros in 2024

To get to the postseason, the Houston Astros had to go through a heavyweight boxing battle. Will that result be altered by the new-look Astros in 2024 with new additions and departures? The Astros were able to get a backup catcher and another set-up reliever. They haven’t been able to prolong the contracts of Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, or Framber Valdez, though. This can lead opposing general managers to ask if they are tradeable. The Astros won’t be adding any significant players this winter. If they did, that would be startling. However, let’s examine a few of Houston’s actions.

Astros Offseason Outlook

Hector Neris

The 2023 Astros bullpen roster takes a major hit in 2024. Right-hander Hector Neris declined his $8.5 million player option for 2024 last November. The decision makes Neris along with fellow relief pitchers Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton hit the open market. Neris was an integral member of the Astros bullpen in their World Series run in 2022. He followed up that success with a career-best 1.71 ERA in 71 appearances, limiting hittings to a .153 average and a 3.06 slugging percentage.

Ryne Stanek

Following stints with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Miami Marlins, Stanek signed a one-year deal in 2021. After a steady 2022 season, Stanek’s production was a bit more uneven in 2023. Stanek worked with an ERA higher than 4.00 over 48 2/3 innings. While it wasn’t his best season, he manages to lower that ERA to 1.15, setting a new single-season franchise record for relievers, surpassing Will Harris ‘1.50 ERA in 2019.

Phil Maton

Maton is the last of our trio of bullpen arms that the Astros say goodbye to due to free agency. While he served the team steadily as a middle reliever for the past three seasons, his role may be the easiest to fill internally. There are a good handful of pitchers already on the 40-man roster. Also, Lance McCullers and Luis Garcia are expected to return before the All-Star Game. Within his 66 innings, Maton posted a 3.00 ERA with a 1.121 WHIP. He kept home runs low at six, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio per nine innings was 10:3.

Martin Maldonado

Maldonado’s last year with the Astros was filled with controversy. The 37-year-old veteran was a key figure during his six seasons within Houston and has since signed a one-year deal on the Chicago White Sox. Despite a final year slash line of .191/.258/.348 with the team, the Astros made it to the postseason every year, including three World Series appearances and one championship under his lead. Fans clamored for more playing time for Yanier Díaz, the young backup with some pop in his bat. Between the promotion of Díaz and the signing of Caratini, fans will get a chance to see what Maldonado’s impact on the team truly was.

Michael Brantley

The veteran leftfielder called it a career less than a week ago. Brantley hadn’t played after June 26 due to his fourth surgery on his right shoulder. Now, he will head into retirement with gratitude and excitement following a decorated career in which he batted .298 over 10 seasons in Cleveland and five in Houston. Brantley hit better than .300 on seven occasions, including .327 in 2014. He finishes his career with 129 home runs, 1,656 hits, 720 RBI with an OPS of .784.

Dusty Baker

Regarding Dusty Baker, not much needs to be said that hasn’t already been said. He had 19 seasons as a major league player, split between the Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and San Francisco Giants. Before going to Houston in 2020, he changed careers and managed the Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals. One thing escaped him when he joined the struggling squad after the fallout from the 2017 scandal—a World Series Championship. In 2022, Baker made Major League history by being the eighth individual to win a World Series as both a manager and a player. He also achieved a third-world series victory as an African American manager. Following a near-missed return journey to

Welcome to Houston

Victor Caratini

In an offseason of below-the-radar deals, the signing of former Milwaukee Brewers catcher Víctor Caratini is probably the biggest outside of elevating Joe Espada to lead the team as manager. He will join Yanier Díaz as the Astros’ backup backstopper, who was named to the Baseball Digest/eBay All-Star Rookie Lineup. Caratini’s two-year deal brings Caratini to the team having spent previous seasons with the Brewers, Cubs, and Padres. His service time, ability to hit from both sides of the plate, and strong presence behind the plate, make him a good complement to Díaz’s burgeoning career.

Dylan Coleman

One of the bullpen’s two notable offseason additions. After acquiring Dylan Coleman in exchange for Carlos Mateo from the Kansas City Royals, the Astros strengthened their bullpen in anticipation of Cronin’s arrival from the White Sox. Coleman was traded to the Royals after the 2020 season, having been signed by the San Diego Padres in 2018. His 2022 campaign was outstanding, as he finished with a 5-2 record and 2.78 ERA. But the next year, he struggled with an 8.84 ERA in just 23 games. It is hoped that Coleman will revert to his previous form, given the Astros coaching staff’s history of remarkable turnarounds.

Declan Cronin

This right-handed pitcher comes to the Astros off of waivers from the Chicago White Sox. Cronin was a 36th-round pick back in 2019. Since then, he has worked his way up through the White Sox system before finally making his debut in 2023. His first appearance in the majors was short at nine games and Cronin witnessed some struggles, notching an ERA of 9.00 over 11 innings pitched. The Astros view him as a pitcher to take a chance on.

Joe Espada

Espada joined the Astros in 2018 as a bench coach. Espada takes over for the renowned skipper, who retired after the 2023 season, after Baker leaves. The new manager already has his sights set on a new World Series trophy in 2024, having a successful post-season coaching record. Espada, who was promoted from inside, already enjoys the advantage of being familiar with the group and how it was assembled over time. Having spent time in the farm systems of the A’s, Cardinals, Marlins, Rangers, Rays, and Royals, he brings experience from multiple teams to the table.

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