In the bottom of the eighth inning, in a tied 3-3 game, the Los Angeles Angels’ star center fielder, Mike Trout, walked up to the plate. The writing was on the wall. After getting swept at home by the Seattle Mariners, the Astros were out of the race to win the American League West but still had hopes of making it into the playoffs as a wildcard. This was a must-win game. If they lost, and the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians took care of business in their next games, the Astros would be spending October on their couches for the first time in a decade. Astros rookie reliever Bryan King delivered a 90 mph four-seam fastball right over the heart of the plate, and Trout smashed the meatball 395 feet over the right-center field fence for a lead-taking homerun. The Astros would have a chance in the top of the ninth inning. Right fielder Jesus Sanchez, infielder Roman Urias, and utility player Mauricio Dubon all struck out swinging at closing pitcher Kenley Jansen’s slider. The Astros were on the brink of elimination. The next day, the Cleveland Guardians would walk off against the Texas Rangers to secure the final wildcard spot and subsequently end the Astros’ season.

Although the Astros didn’t make it back to the playoffs in 2025, it is astonishing to think that they were in playoff contention, barring the fact that they had 26 total players go on the Injured List (IL). No team can control whether a player gets injured; however, the Astros seem to have a consistent injury problem. In previous seasons, there have been gaps in communication between the team and the media on injuries. For example, in the 2024 season, All-Star Kyle Tucker hit a foul ball off his leg and was out for four months with a “bruised lower leg.” After the season, it came out that Tucker had, in fact, broken his shin. 

The Astros’ injuries didn’t seem to have an end until this offseason, when the Astros fired Head Athletic Trainer Jeremiah Randall and promoted Eric Valesquez into the new role. The Astros also parted ways with hitting coaches Troy Snitker and Alex Cintron to bring in Victor Rodriguez from the San Diego Padres and Anthony Iapoce from the Detroit Tigers. 

The Astros needed to improve their pitching staff to be competitive again. Three starting pitchers will start the year on the IL and are

projected to stay there for the majority of the season. Aware of this predicament, Astros General Manager Dana Brown made a trade to land rookie right-hander Mike Burrows from the Pittsburgh Pirates and signed Japanese superstar Tatsuya Imai from the Saitama Sea Lions of the Nippon Baseball League (NPB). Mike Burrows came at a high cost to their prospect pool, sending top prospects Jacob Melton and Anderson Brito to the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team deal. Burrows has a lot of potential; he posted a 3.94 earned run average (ERA) last season and has a changeup that many describe as “nasty.” The Astros are known to develop pitchers very well, and this acquisition seems like a perfect match for their pitching needs. Imai was a surprising name for the Astros to sign this offseason. Imai, a three-time NPB all-star, tossed 162 ⅔ innings in 2025, with a 1.92 ERA, 178 Strikeouts, a 0.892 WHIP (walks + hits per innings pitched), and a strikeout rate of 27.8%. 

The Astros seem to be all in on doing whatever they can to improve their coaching staff and their roster, but is it enough to make it back to the postseason in 2026? 

Geoff Blum, former Astros utility player and current Color Commentator for the Astros on Space City Home Network, gave his insight on the Astros new additions.

“We’re gonna rely on Tatsuya to go out there and really kind of chew up some innings in that rotation,” Blum said regarding Imai. “At the same time, I’m also fascinated by his delivery. I’m fascinated by his pitch mix. I know that his fastball ranges between 92 and 99 miles an hour. He’s got a couple of different breaking balls, and apparently, he’s got maybe a couple of different changeups and a split-finger.”

Brent Strom, the former Astros pitching coach, worked with Burrows in Pittsburgh. When discussing the acquisition with Blum, he further mentioned the significance of their relationship.

“He’s got great stuff, and the interesting part is he worked under Brent Strom in Pittsburgh,” said Blum. “Strom has a history of developing overlooked pitchers into competitive arms. Burrows could be a hidden gem for Houston if they manage his innings.”

Preston Clarke, Emery Assistant Baseball Coach, who works with young pitchers, echoed Blum’s sentiment.

“Burrows is raw, but he’s got the mechanics and mentality to succeed,” Clarke said. “If the Astros can protect his workload early in the season and refine his secondary pitches, he can be a reliable arm in the rotation.”

The Astros have a glut of infielders, and Isaac Paredes is a name that is getting thrown around in rumors. Paredes, who joined the team last season to play third base after Alex Bregman’s departure, has cemented himself as an All-Star caliber player, getting the nod as a reserve after fellow third basemen Jose Ramirez elected not to participate. Usually, efforts like this would earn a player a contract extension; instead, a mid-season reunion with Carlos Correa, who plays third base (the same position as Paredes) and a salary dispute that is heading to arbitration, will most likely see Paredes get moved. Paredes has drawn interest from many teams seeking infield help. The Boston Red Sox, particularly, have a reported interest in acquiring Parades from Houston.

“I think it kind of puts Issac [Parades] in a unique position. As much as the Astros want to hold on to him, his value might be in a trade possibility with some of these other teams… If you’re able to package together a good deal for maybe another left-handed-hitting outfielder, they would definitely entertain that,” Blum said. “I think the Astros would probably jump at an opportunity to be able to do something like that, because the needs right now are pitching.”

For Astros fans, 2026 represents both a challenge and an opportunity. The team has revamped its coaching staff, made solid moves, and is looking to strengthen its roster in the best way it can. Whether these steps translate to October baseball in Houston remains to be seen, but the organization’s moves signal that the Astros are intent on returning to contention.