Championship Pedigree: Houston Targets Proven Winner for Infield Depth

The Houston Astros have entered the MLB offseason with a couple of key situations to figure out.

First and foremost, the team will have to figure out whether or not they can re-sign star third baseman Alex Bregman. He is a very hot commodity on the free agency market. The Astros would love to bring him back, but that is far from a done deal at this point in time.

Justin Verlander is also a free agent. Houston is much more likely to let him walk than they are Bregman, but they could opt to bring him back on a one-year contract.

After those situations are resolved, the Astros will need to focus on improving their roster.

One position that could use some attention is at first base.

Houston has been connected with elite names like Pete Alonso and Christian Walker. However, they may not be able to afford Alonso and they may not want to overpay to land Walker.

With that being said, who could the Astros target for a cheaper contract?

Former World Series champion and New York Yankees’ free agent first baseman Anthony Rizzo could make sense as a player for Houston to take a flier on.

Granted, the 35-year-old first baseman is not the superstar that he once was just a few short years ago. His bat has not been nearly as productive.

Despite those facts, he would be a relatively cheap addition and could be an upgrade from what they had in the 2024 season.

During the 2024 campaign with the Yankees, Rizzo ended up playing in 92 games. He hit eight home runs to go along with 35 RBI, while slashing .228/.301/.335. Obviously, those numbers don’t look great.

Back in 2023, he slashed .244/.328/.378 to go along with 12 home runs and 41 RBI in 99 games. He played in 130 games in 2022, racking up 32 home runs and 75 RBI with a slash line of .224/.338/.480.

His recent track record isn’t great. But, if the Astros want to bring in a first baseman on a cheap contract with potential upside, Rizzo could be a very good target.

Rizzo is also known for being a great clubhouse guy. He brings a lighthearted approach to the game and has always been a top-notch leader. Those qualities would bring value for Houston.

There is a very good chance that the Astros will have no interest in Rizzo, but there is also a chance that depending on how the rest of the offseason goes, he could be an affordable piece to try and upgrade the first base position.