Reddit AMA: Projecting Astros' playoff rotation, offseason priorities

Brian McTaggart, MLB.com’s Astros beat reporter, held an “Ask Me Anything” this week on Reddit with Astros fans at r/Astros. This mailbag features excerpted questions and answers from that event (some lightly edited for clarity). The full AMA is available to read here.

If the Astros don’t make the postseason, what do you see being the biggest move for them?

They need to address a few things in the offseason, beginning with pitching. They need to add one or two starting pitchers and a couple of relief pitchers, whether via trades of free agency. They have a glut of position players and could have to move a couple of them, so maybe they could be traded to bring in some pitching.

Has Framber Valdez's approach fractured the locker room at all? Is it just all but official that he is gone? Will his antics cost him in free agency?

Valdez's "cross up" with catcher César Salazar­ a few weeks ago certainly didn't shed a positive light on the pitcher and, yes, some of his teammates weren't happy. It did nothing to "fracture" the clubhouse, though. Valdez's poor performance since the end of July (the Astros are 1-9 in his last 10 starts) has done more to diminish his value in free agency than anything else, though teams are aware he tends to lose control at times.

Does the organization still see Framber as a second starter if we make the Wild Card?

Well ... the Astros have to get there first. Assuming they can make the Wild Card and they're in a position to line up their pitching, Valdez will start either Game 2 or Game 3. Jason Alexander or Cristian Javier will start the other one. A lot of that will be determined by how well each pitches in their final starts of the regular season, but I don't think they've given much thought to a playoff rotation yet. This is now a day-to-day fight to survive.

What's the luxury tax outlook for next year? How much room do we have to maneuver? And what are the odds that Jesús Sánchez and/or Christian Walker get moved?

I think the Astros will continue to operate near the luxury tax threshold without trying to go over, though they've done it in the past. It would not shock me if they moved Sánchez, who has been a bust here and can only play against right-handers. The emergence of Zach Cole makes Sánchez more expendable heading into 2026. Walker's situation is a tough one. He's owed $40 million over the next two years and has been a disappointment. If you trade him, you'll have to eat much of that money. I don't know if they're in position to do that. It might be a case where they'll open next season with him as the starter at first and hope he can bounce back. If not, they'll have to figure out a way to move on.

If the Astros let Framber walk after the season ends, who do you think they would go after in free agency to replace him? Also with Carlos Correa being back, what do you think the plan is with Isaac Paredes? Do you think they'd trade him or maybe move him to 2nd? Or do you think they'd try to trade Walker and take a hit on the contract just to get rid of him and move Paredes to first?

I think they will let Valdez leave in free agency. That's a given, I'd say. As far as who they would go after? If there's a mid-tier starting pitcher available, I think there will be interest. They'll cast a wide net in free agency and the trade market to beef up the rotation. I don't see Correa moving off third, so Paredes may get some time at second base and he can DH. If the Astros do decide to move on from Walker (again, there might be too much money involved), perhaps they could try Paredes at first. They like Paredes a lot and I don't think he's going anywhere. Plus, he's only 26 years old.