5 Things We Learned About the Astros in 2026

Just Baseball analyzes the Houston Astros' disappointing 2026 campaign after the club finished at .500 and was swept by the Chicago White Sox in the postseason. The outlet argues that Houston must initiate a full rebuild rather than continuing to compete with an aging and depleted core, pointing to front office changes and an unconvincing playoff run as signs that the franchise's competitive window has firmly closed.

According to the analysis, the Astros face severe rotation questions alongside declining production from veteran Jose Altuve, who batted .250 with 16 home runs. While starter Peter Lambert provided a rare positive with a 3.82 ERA, the writer advocates trading star assets like Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, and Josh Hader to replenish the organization's farm system.