Peña, Brown, 7 other Astros reach deals to avoid arbitration

HOUSTON -- A pair of 2025 All-Stars -- shortstop Jeremy Peña and right-hander Hunter Brown -- headlined the list of Astros players who agreed to contracts for the ’26 season on Thursday, avoiding going to arbitration hearings.

Peña, in his second year of arbitration, settled for $9.475 million with the Astros, a source told MLB.com, while Brown will get $5.71 million in his first year of arbitration. In all, the club reached agreements with nine of its 11 arbitration-eligible players.

The Astros didn’t come to an agreement with infielder Isaac Paredes and catcher Yainer Diaz ahead of Thursday’s deadline and will head to an arbitration hearing with both, sources said. Paredes filed at $9.95 million, and the Astros filed at $8.75 million; Diaz filed at $4.5 million and Houston filed at $3 million.

Here’s a full list of the Astros’ settlements, per sources:

Jeremy Peña (second year arbitration-eligible): $9.475 million
Jesús Sánchez (second year): $6.8 million
Bryan Abreu (third year): $5.85 million
Hunter Brown (first year): $5.71 million
Jake Meyers (second year): $3.55 million
Steven Okert (third year): $2.325 million
Nick Allen (first year): $1.4 million
Hayden Wesneski (first year): $975,000
Bennett Sousa (first year): $910,000

Peña was named the team’s Most Valuable Player last year after hitting .304 with 17 homers, 68 runs, 30 doubles, 62 RBIs and 20 steals with an .840 OPS in 125 games. He missed July with a ribcage fracture and the final four games of the regular season with a left oblique strain.

Brown had the best season of his career and emerged as the ace of the Houston pitching staff. He made 31 starts and was 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA and a career-best WHIP of 1.03. He struck out a career-high 206 batters in 185 1/3 innings and allowed only 133 hits.

Abreu, who will be a free agent after the ’26 season, posted a 2.28 ERA in 70 games last year as Houston’s setup man and led American League relievers with 105 strikeouts. He moved into the closer role in the final two months following an injury to Josh Hader and had seven saves.

Sánchez slashed .237/.304/.395 with 14 homers and 48 RBIs in 134 games with the Marlins and Astros, who acquired him at the Trade Deadline.

Paredes, acquired in a trade with the Cubs in December 2024, hit 20 home runs and drove in 53 runs for the Astros in 102 games. He suffered a significant hamstring strain July 19 in Seattle and missed 55 games. He returned to play in eight games down the stretch. Diaz slashed .256/.284/.417 with 20 homers and 70 RBIs in 143 games as Houston’s starting catcher.