When the World Series was over and Justin Verlander opted out of his deal to test free agency, everyone thought the Houston Astros‘ biggest priority was to retain him or get some pitching.
Judging by their behavior in the market, that doesn’t seem to be the case: the Astros apparently want offense because they feel their pitching staff is good and deep.
They already secured first baseman Jose Abreu (.824 OPS, 15 home runs, 40 doubles in 2022) this week and are reportedly not over pursuing bats.
“Even after signing Jose Abreu, the Astros are still hunting for another bat. Willson Contreras and Cody Bellinger are names to watch, per sources,” Astros insider Michael Schwaab tweeted.
Even after signing Jose Abreu, the Astros are still hunting for another bat.
Willson Contreras and Cody Bellinger are names to watch, per sources.
— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) November 28, 2022
Ideally, the Astros would like to add another left-handed hitter: Michael Brantley is hitting free agency and Yordan Alvarez can’t do the heavy lifting (from the left side of the plate) all by himself.
Bellinger And Contreras Could Be Fits
In that sense, Bellinger would be a perfect fit, and he could play center field too.
The issue with Bellinger is that he has been a below-average hitter the last two seasons, with a .542 OPS in 2021 and a .654 mark in 2022.
He is still young, athletic, and good with the glove, but the former MVP of the National League is a shell of himself with the bat.
Contreras would make a lot of sense, too, because he can play catcher and offers an above-average bat.
The Astros, however, value Martin Maldonado‘s work behind the plate and probably want him back there most days.
In any case, Houston has shown it wants to go for the title again in 2023, and is willing to invest to improve its chances.
NEXT: Astros Insider Details A Legendary 2023 Infield