Five Free Agents Who Thrive At Minute Maid Park Could Boost Astros’ Lineup

The Houston Astros entered unfamiliar territory this season.

For the first time in eight years, they were not one of two teams involved in the American League Championship Series.

The Astros were eliminated in the Wild Card round by the Detroit Tigers. They did not win a playoff series for the first time since losing the NLDS in 2001.

Houston will now shift their focus to the offseason, and they have plenty of questions to answer this winter. With multiple superstars, including star third baseman Alex Bregman, on expiring contracts, the organization will have to make some tough decisions when building their roster for next year.

If they intend to make it back to the postseason for the ninth straight time in 2025, they will need to improve their roster to compete with the rest of the American League contenders.

What better place to start than with players who have had success at a place where half their games will be played?

Of the 76 pending unrestricted free agents this offseason, only a handful have found constant success when competing at Minute Maid Park, the Astros’ home stadium.

Here are the top players looking for a new team this winter who have performed the best in Houston regardless of position or team need.

Highest OPS: Adam Duvall

Although Duvall has played in MLB for 11 seasons, he has only found himself at the plate at Minute Maid Park in nine games across his career. However, when he stepped into the box against the Astros, he did well. Duvall picked up a 1.377 OPS in his 34 plate appearances when facing Houston on their home turf, including four homers and 10 RBI.

It wasn’t the best season for Duvall as he found himself off the postseason roster for the Atlanta Braves towards the end of the year. However, a change of scenery could be exactly what the veteran outfielder needs. He could be a great depth piece for the Astros on a team that already has some great players patrolling the outfield. A player with good numbers at Minute Maid Park would be great for Houston off the bench.

Best Batting Average: Tommy Pham

Another popular name on the list with great past performances at Minute Maid Park. Across 13 games, Pham has recorded an impressive .364 batting average across 61 plate appearances. He collected seven extra-base hits across that span, including two home runs.

Pham found himself on three different teams last season, but not for poor performance. The veteran outfielder started with the Chicago White Sox after signing after the campaign had already begun. The struggling squad moved him at the trade deadline to the St. Louis Cardinals. Once they also found themselves out of playoff contention, the Cardinals released him to allow him to sign with a contender before the September cut-off. He found a roster spot with the Kansas City Royals as they battled into the postseason for the first time since 2015.

Like Duvall, Pham would be a great asset to the Astros roster, although they already have a good hold on the outfield positions. He could compete for one of the corner outfield spots this upcoming spring training and be a solid piece off the bench.

Most Home Runs: Yuli Gurriel

Not including Bregman, since he was on the roster in 2024, another former player leads this category. Gurriel, the former Houston Gold Glove winner, picked up 94 home runs across his seven seasons with the ballclub, including 51 at Minute Maid Park.

Gurriel did not appear in the Majors in 2024 until the end of the year after an injury to Royals Vinnie Pasquantino. They acquired him from the Braves who had him stashed in Triple-A. In the 18 games of the year, he helped Kansas City secure a spot in the American League Wild Card by hitting .241/.338/.296 with three extra-base hits.

Could a reunion with the former Astros player be in the works?

Assuming he is looking to play in 2025, the 40-year-old Gurriel could be a potential piece for Houston to fix one of its biggest issues at first base.

Best of the Rest: Yasmani Grandal

Grandal has found success in his 14 games at Minute Maid in his lengthy MLB career. Over 49 plate appearances, he has hit .333/.338/.677 with seven extra-base hits, including four long balls. It’s not a bad stat line for a catcher.

Grandal found himself on the Pittsburgh Pirates on a one-year deal in 2024. The 35-year-old catcher played in 72 games and hit .228/.304/.400 with nine homers and 27 RBI. He was near league average with a 95 OPS+ on the season.

With the catching position looking to be locked up for 2025 with backup Victor Caratini being under contract, adding a veteran like Grandal may not be a good fit for the current roster, but if an opening becomes available, he would be an intelligent choice.

Best of the Rest: Anthony Santander

Santander is the youngest player on this list that has done well in Houston. Across 16 games, he picked up a .818 OPS, including three homers and seven RBI.

Santander had his best season since making his MLB debut in 2017. The 30-year-old hit a career-high 44 homers as the Baltimore Orioles returned to the postseason for the second straight year.

Would Santander work in Houston?

As mentioned above, the outfield is not the weak spot in this roster. However, if a team has a chance to bring in a power bat like Santander to lineup along with other sluggers like Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez, they might need to find a way to make it work.