3 Moves the Astros Need to Make Before the 2022 MLB Season Starts

The Houston Astros came so close last season to winning their second World Series title in the last four years before falling to the Atlanta Braves. Manager Dusty Baker has his team playing with motivation, but could still use some more help from the front office before Opening Day arrives.

The championship window is open right now for Houston, which means any kind of deal or promotion that would improve the roster should be explored. With that being said, here are three moves the Astros should make before the season starts in April.

Astros Offseason Moves

1. Bring Back Carlos Correa

Of course, the biggest move the Astros could make before the season gets underway is re-signing All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa. Reports claim talks between the two sides are intensifying and the fans obviously want the 27-year-old back at Minute Maid Park. The only thing keeping it all from happening is the financial aspect. Correa is a defensive wizard at shortstop and hit a career-high 26 home runs during the 2021 season. He also owns a career slash line of .277/.356/.481, which goes to show just how consistent he is at the plate. Correa is worth every penny he is going to get with a new contract.

2. Build Rotation Depth With a Veteran Arm

Houston has long been a franchise that likes to move pitchers from the bullpen to the rotation and vice versa. While it has worked out in the past, it's hard to see that happening early on this season. Lance McCullers Jr. is not going to be ready by Opening day due to an arm injury and veteran Justin Verlander hasn't pitched since 2020. Finding a cheap arm on the free agent market would be one way to secure enough depth in case another pitcher was to go down. Names like Danny Duffy, Matthew Boyd and Jake Arrieta all stick out in this situation.

3. Sign Jonathan Villar as Shortstop Insurance

Let's be real here. The shortstop market outside of Correa and Trevor Story is not very strong. However, the Astros may not have a choice but to sign a free agent if they aren't able to convince Correa to return. Inking a deal with Jonathan Villar to split reps with Jeremy Pena is not a bad backup idea. The nine-year pro started his career in Houston and has proven he still has a few good years left at the plate. Villar slashed .249/.322/.416 last season to go along with 18 home runs and 14 stolen bases. His positional versatility out in the field would give Baker a lot of options late in games, too.

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