Every season is the same in one aspect. After many months of off-season and a solid 6 weeks of Spring Training, all fans are ready for the season to finally start.
We are ready to stop speculation on personnel.
We are ready to enjoy the personnel performing for real.
This season, we are ready to see….
- Whether the Astros go five-man or six-man rotation.
- How the Astros make up for the loss of perennial innings-eater Framber Valdez.
- How the new guys, Tatsuya Imai and Mike Burrows perform in that rotation.
- Whether Lance McCullers Jr. and Cristian Javier perform better one season farther removed from their surgeries.
- How the Astros reconfigure the bullpen with both Josh Hader and Bennett Sousa on the IL.
- If Bryan Abreu takes to the closer’s role, even temporarily, better than he did in 2025.
- Who fills in one or two spots of long relief / spot starting in the bullpen.
- How does the team handle having five starting infielders for four starting spots, when Jeremy Pena returns to the lineup.
- How does Isaac Paredes (who seems to be the odd man out) handle reduced usage due to the 5 vs. 4 conundrum.
- Who is the Astros regular starting outfield – Cam Smith, Jake Meyers and Joey Loperfido??
- Who is the backup catcher.
- Who else is on the bench with the backup catcher and Paredes (or one of his infield friends).
- Who is next man up after injuries at every position.
- How the team handles the return of the injured….who is sent down or out.
- If the Astros can dodge the injury bug that pounded them the last two seasons.
- How the team responds to the first non-playoff season since 2016.
- If the Astros can return to glory as constructed or need a mid-season boost or eventual tear down and rebuild.
Those are things that I am anxious to see. How about you?
ALL THINGS ASTROS 