Houston Astros 2017 Team Preview

Significant Players Lost

The Astros had some key players depart this offseason, but were able to fill the voids through free agency and trades.

Colby Rasmus

The big departure for the Astros this offseason was outfielder Colby Rasmus. His 2016 season was not as good as the season before in Houston, but he was still a valuable part of the lineup. Rasmus, now in Tampa Bay, is replaced by Reddick in 2017, which is a step up. Rasmus only hit .206 last season with 15 home runs and 54 runs batted in. The power numbers are there, but getting on base consistently is not, which is a problem. With a lineup that can drive in runs from top to bottom, you don’t a need a player who can’t reach base. That made him the odd man out in Houston.

Jason Castro

Castro is not the catcher he used to be. Hitting .210 with limited power numbers will not keep a guy around, and the Astros were able to find a better catcher by trading for McCann. Castro will now serve as the backstop for the Minnesota Twins, a team with which his struggling offensive play will fit right in. Catcher was one of the few spots besides pitching that needed improvement, and the Astros filled it with someone new, leaving Castro to find a home elsewhere.

While the Astros had key players from last season depart, they were players that were already being replaced in the Astros’ current plans. They brought in players that are an improvement, leaving these guys with no reason to stay. The Astros did what they needed to this offseason by improving their weak spots. That mean there would be departures. Overall, the Astros shouldn’t be too worried about the players that left, unlike other teams who lost big parts of their lineups.