Astros: 3 free agents to sign and 1 to avoid

Trevor Story is just one of the many talented shortstops in this loaded bunch of free agents

There’s a very good chance the Astros will need to find a new shortstop this offseason, so why not focus on one who is very talented and could come at a price that makes a solid amount of sense for Houston’s budget?

Trevor Story might just fit the bill here, depending on what sort of contract he’s willing to accept and the Astros are willing to offer.

Story has been an All-Star twice, in 2018 and 2019, and he’s been a pretty good hitter with the Colorado Rockies throughout his career. In six seasons, Story has a .272 batting average and has hit 158 home runs.

Right now, Story is coming off a season during which he had a .252 batting average and had 24 home runs. He might not be as productive of a hitter as he once was, but he’s still pretty valuable and could fit in well with Houston’s lineup.

What would be truly interesting for the Astros is the way Story can steal bases. Throughout his career, Story has stolen 100 bases and is averaging 22 stolen bases over a 162 game period.

While he may not be quite as good as some of the other shortstops in this class, including one Houston fans are enamored with, the Astros might be able to get him on a decent deal. That would be important given the way Houston would benefit from bolstering both its starting rotation and its bullpen.

If the Astros could get this talented shortstop on a five or six-year deal, that’d be a win for Houston.