5 Things We Learned About the Astros in 2026

Clay Snowden of Just Baseball examines the state of the Houston Astros following an uninspiring 2026 campaign that culminated in a postseason sweep by the Chicago White Sox. Despite qualifying for the playoffs with a .500 record, the franchise experienced front-office changes, persistent pitching vulnerabilities, and diminishing offensive depth, leading the writer to argue that a full rebuild is necessary.

Snowden suggests trading valuable veterans like Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, and Josh Hader to replenish the farm system. Meanwhile, veteran Jose Altuve and sophomore outfielder Cam Smith struggled offensively, leaving bright spots largely confined to rotation addition Peter Lambert, who posted a 3.82 ERA across 29 starts.