The Major League Baseball offseason has arrived, and it’s not the rosiest of outlooks for the Houston Astros. Already in the unfamiliar territory of missing the playoffs, the Astros seem to be entering a season where their general manager and manager have a lame-duck status, and are stuck in between having some young pieces that could be the focal point of their next contending core, but also veterans with aging contracts that have the roster begging for a reset.
Fresh off the Los Angeles Dodgers winning the World Series for a second consecutive season, The Athletic took a way-too-early look at 2026 MLB Power Rankings. No longer among the best teams in the American League, the Astros fall in at No. 11.
Astros hit unfamiliar territory in The Athletic’s 2026 MLB rankings
The Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays are the American League teams ranked ahead of the Astros. The fact that both the Mariners and Rangers get a mention before the Astros speaks to Houston’s fall off, but a larger takeaway is that the organization is at a crossroads.
“The future still looks bright for Cam Smith, the prize acquired for Kyle Tucker last offseason. But the best days may be behind Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa. A full season from Yordan Alvarez would help matters. “
Add in the fact that the Astros have very little financial flexibility this offseason, and one has to wonder if the team is delaying the inevitable. In a world where Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Yordan Álvarez turn back the clock, it’s possible to squint and see the Astros reclaim their standing as one of the best teams in the American League. But all three of those players are only getting older, and the lack of availability seems to be the expectation.
Nonetheless, as long as Jim Crane is the owner, the obvious direction is often the unlikeliest. Dana Brown and Joe Espada are now tasked with winning in 2026, or will likely be made the scapegoats for the fall of the Astros’ contention window. That could be setting the stage for Brown to make some familiar mistakes this offseason and make the Astros’ long-term outlook even worse.
