Houston’s offseason plan centers on preserving core stability while addressing two free-agent questions. Framber Valdez and Victor Caratini are the only consequential free agents from the current roster, with Valdez anchoring the rotation and Caratini handling catching. The rest of the star core—Altuve, Alvarez, Peña, and Brown among others—remains under team control for the near term, creating room to balance extensions, arbitration, and payroll without a full rebuild.

Beyond Valdez and Caratini, the horizon features a mix of arbitration-eligible depth and aging or longer-term contracts. Key decisions will revolve around how aggressively Houston retains or replaces pieces like Abreu, Dubón, Urías, and McCullers, while mapping out long-term commitments for a championship window that runs through the late 2020s and into 2030s via extensions and option structure.

The Houston Astros fell short against the Cleveland Guardians, losing 4-2 in a tightly contested game at Progressive Field. The Astros' offense was muted, as they struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities, finishing just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. A pivotal throwing error by reliever Steven Okert in the seventh inning allowed the Guardians to score the go-ahead run, followed by a sacrifice fly that sealed the game. Despite Brandon Walter's encouraging outing, the Astros missed a chance for a series sweep, ending their road trip with a 4-2 record.

Walter, recalled from Triple-A, provided a quality start with six innings pitched, allowing two earned runs. The Astros showed some fight in the seventh, highlighted by Cam Smith’s two-run double, which tied the game, but their inability to maintain momentum led to the loss. The team continues to face challenges with early scoring this season, and manager Joe Espada emphasized the need for the lineup to find a rhythm going forward.