MLB 2017: One prediction for each team

Houston Astros: the improvements don’t mean much

Every year, there’s a team that makes a handful of splashy moves in the offseason only to come up well short of expectations in the regular season. The Astros are poised to be that team in 2017. So far this winter, Houston has traded for catcher Brian McCann, signed outfielder Josh Reddick, signed DH Carlos Beltran and signed starting pitcher Charlie Morton. The front office has been saving its money for years as the rebuilding process morphed into a contending roster, and this was the year they elected to go for broke.

The Astros missed the playoffs last year due to a slow start and mediocre pitching rotation. The bullpen performed well after almost costing the team a playoff berth down the stretch in 2015. None of the additions to the team represent major improvements. McCann is a better hitting backstop than Jason Castro, but a worse defender. He actually had a lower OPS than Evan Gattis last year, but Gattis is now being shopped due to the addition of Beltran. The depth chart lists Beltran as a left fielder for now, but he’ll be 40 soon after Opening Day and played only 67 games in the field last year. How much of an improvement in right field is Reddick over Colby Rasmus?

Houston’s rotation is still a major question mark. Dallas Keuchel will have to prove he’s more than a one-hit wonder after struggling to duplicate his Cy Young season. Colin McHugh, Charlie Morton, Mike Fiers, Brad Peacock and Joe Musgrove are all back-end options. The big question mark is Lance McCullers’ health.

Instead of spreading their money around on incremental improvements, the Astros should have bit the bullet and paid Edwin Encarnacion then traded for Chris Sale or Jose Quintana. That would have pushed them ahead of the Texas Rangers. For now, they’re the second-best team in a crowded division. That may not be enough to reach the playoffs.