The Astros finalized their big move of the offseason yesterday, announcing a for star reliever . Between the Hader signing and the addition of on a two-year pact to serve as backup catcher, theyve addre sed their two biggest questions of the winter. General manager Dana Brown pointed to another area theyre exploring as Spring Training draws nearer. If we could somehow get a left-handed bat, preferably an outfielder with some speed, that type of package well pounce on it , he told reporters ( ). Thats not to say that player type is an imperative, as Brown added the team is really good already. Houston lost a left-handed hitting outfielder when reached free agency (and subsequently ). They project for a starting group of , and . Star DH could see some action in left field. Righty-hitting is on hand as a depth option, while can bounce from the infield to the outfield in a utility capacity. Tucker clearly isnt in jeopardy of losing any time in right field. McCormick is coming off a very productive season. He hit .273/.353/.489 with 22 homers and 19 stolen bases over a personal-high 457 plate appearances. Even with a slightly elevated strikeout total, he looks like an above-average regular. Its a little le s clear in center field. Brown at the Winter Meetings that the team was planning to use Meyers as their primary center fielder. Those comments were partially designed to cut off speculation that Houston could trade the 27-year-old. Even if the Astros are legitimately interested in giving Meyers first crack at the center field job, they could look for a potential platoon partner or contingency plan. A right-handed hitter, Meyers is coming off a .227/.295/.382 showing in 342 Bill Russell Jersey trips to the plate. Thats not far off the .243/.296/.375 career batting line that he carried into last season. Meyers has had particular i sues against righty pitching. Hes a career .220/.288/.351 hitter against same-handed arms. His production against southpaws (.270/.316/.440) is solid on the surface, although thats inflated by a .365 average on balls in play that masks a 30% strikeout rate. Overall, Meyers has been a below-average offensive player. To his credit, hes an a set on the other side of the ball. Defensive Runs Saved and Statcast have each graded him as an easy plus defender in nearly 1500 career innings in center field. Giving Meyers the bulk of the center field at-bats wouldnt be a disaster, but hes probably the weakest hitter in an otherwise loaded Houston lineup. With the Astros firmly in a win-now mindset as they battle the defending champion Rangers in the AL West, its sensible to look for alternatives. There arent a ton of available options in free agency. While fits the description of an athletic, lefty-swinging outfielder, itd be shocking to see Houston meet his asking price particularly after signing Hader. is a fourth/fifth outfield type who should be available on a cheap one-year deal. He doesnt hit for any power, but hes an excellent runner who gets on base and can play all three outfield spots. While remains unsigned, hes e sentially limited to left field at this point. Thats not a great fit unle s the Astros are willing to play McCormick in center regularly. On the trade front, and have been loosely floated in rumors this winter. Players like and switch-hitting could theoretically be available. None of that group seems all that likely to change teams at this stage of the offseason, but theyre among various players about whose availability Houston could inquire. How much spending room is at the front offices disposal is difficult to gauge. Houstons surprising strike for Hader pushed the franchise into uncharted waters. projects their Opening Day payroll around $239MM, their first time north of $200MM in season-opening spending. Houston will exceed the luxury tax threshold for the first time since 2020. Theyre at nearly $255MM in CBT commitments, well clear of the $237MM threshold and on the verge of the $257MM second penalization marker. Owner Jim Crane demonstrated a willingne s to stretch the budget to build an elite back of the bullpen, perhaps in response to losing to shoulder surgery. Its not clear how much farther hell go for what could be seen as a luxury addition in the outfield. Anthony Banda Jersey