3 Astros who won’t survive an early playoff exit

Carlos Correa is playing himself out of the Astros price range

The crowded 2022 free agent shortstop market will be headlined by the likes of Correa, especially with the contracts given out to Francisco Lindor and Fernando Tatis, Jr. before the start of the season.

Correa can’t expect that much capital, but he’s due more than the Astros were offering him before the start of the season. Houston reportedly raised their offer to $125 million over 5 seasons before the start of this campaign. Correa was sorely disappointed.

Astros should go younger in rotation, and Zack Greinke doesn’t fit

Greinke has pitched well this season, but like Verlander he probably doesn’t fit the Astros long-term vision for their pitching staff.

Unless the 37-year-old takes an underslot deal to stay in Houston, expect him to at the very least test the market and see if he can take advantage of free agency one final time before he retires.

If the rest of baseball balks at his asking price, then perhaps he could return to Houston at a bargain. But given Greinke is a solid tier-two free agent option behind the likes of Max Scherzer, who is also getting up there in years, it seems unlikely he signs for tremendously less than the $32 million he made this season.