3 free agent contracts Houston Astros should’ve matched this offseason

Contract that should have been matched by the Houston Astros: Cody Bellinger

Again, for an Astros team that has very few holes in the roster, you’re likely looking for someone who could provide depth and a spark. Could that someone have been Cody Bellinger, who was signed by the Chicago Cubs this offseason after he was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers?

The former National League MVP inked a one-year, $12.5 million contract with the Cubs, and there is a $25 million option (or $5 million buyout) for 2024 attached to that as well. It’s a gamble the Cubs were willing to pay to see if Bellinger could once again recapture the hitting prowess that made him one of baseball’s most feared batters from 2017-19.

Heading into the postseason, the Astros had a problem with solid consistency in center field. Chas McCormick grabbed the reins on the position though in the ALDS and never let go throughout the postseason, hitting a pair of homers in the ALCS against the New York Yankees.

McCormick is expected to hold down center field to start the season, but having Bellinger on the roster as an option would have been a nice luxury for the Astros (and a nice chance to have another dart to throw at the Dodgers if Bellinger bounces back) in case Dusty Baker is once again looking for consistency in center field this year.