Houston Astros who won't be back: Ryne Stanek
The Astros have invested a lot financially into building a strong bullpen. Ryan Pressly, Rafael Montero, Kendall Graveman, and Hector Neris (assuming they exercise his club option are all set to make $8 million or above. This doesn't even include Bryan Abreu who is entering his first arbitration year after a breakout season.
With so much invested already and the need for a left fielder, the chances of Houston bringing both Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton back for the 2024 season feel slim. Maton had the better year in 2023 and is two years younger, so the Astros will presumably prioritize him, leaving Staneky to go elsewhere.
The 32-year-old Stanek has been a steady piece for the Astros in the last three seasons, posting a 2.90 ERA in 136 appearances. That's all great, but he did have a down year this past season for the Astros.
Stanek saw his ERA rise to 4.09 in 55 appearances and 50.2 innings pitched. He saw his strikeout rate decrease from 27.7% last season to 23.9% this season, and he saw his home run rate spike from 0.9% last season to 3.8% in 2023. He's still a decent arm, but regressed heavily and is a bit older. Houston can find a better arm for what Stanek will likely make on the open market.