3 Yusei Kikuchi replacements not named Justin Verlander Astros can't afford to miss

The Houston Astros were dealt a spot of bad news on Monday when it was announced that Yusei Kikuchi has signed a three-year, $63 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels.

Kikuchi arrived in Houston at the trade deadline last season and flourished. In 10 regular season starts for the Astros, Kikuchi notched a 2.70 ERA and 0.93 WHIP, striking out 76 in 60.0 innings pitched. It was arguably the best stretch of his career, and it gave Astros fans hope for a potential long-term partnership.

In the end, however, Kikuchi leaves without making a single postseason start for the Astros. Considering the bounty of prospects given up to acquire Kikuchi originally, suddenly the Astros feel like the losers of that whole ordeal. The Blue Jays dealt Kikuchi knowing he wouldn't be back and Kikuchi used the Astros to boost his value before bolting.

Houston appears destined to trim costs this winter after their first early postseason exit in ages. That said, the Astros are too talented to punt on a season and there are several appealing options circulating the free agent marketplace. Justin Verlander appears cooked, so the Astros' rotation is more vulnerable than ever.

Here are a few viable Kikuchi replaces that Dana Brown and company should think long and hard about.

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3. Max Fried would give the Astros another bankable LHP behind Framber Valdez

Max Fried appears destined for a breakup with the Atlanta Braves, which could lead him as far as the American League. There has been a lot of buzz around the Dodgers or Angels, his hometown teams, but the Kikiuchi contract probably takes the Angels out of the race. Meanwhile, much has been made this winter of the Dodgers' reluctance to spend top dollar in free agency. With the exception of last offseason's pursuit of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers tend to make their biggest splashes on the trade front.

So, the door is open for a Houston team with a history of spending aggressively in free agency. Fried would balance the rotation as another left-handed ace behind Framber Valdez. Coming off his second All-Star campaign in Atlanta, Fried has developed a reputation for reliability in the regular season. His output in the playoffs has suffered by comparison in recent years, but Fried has a World Series under his belt. The Braves put him through his paces in October.

At 30 years old, Fried should have at least a few more years of top-shelf work in the tank. He finished 2024 with an impressive 3.25 ERA and 1.16 WHIP, helping to keep the Braves' injury-addled rotation afloat without Spencer Strider. Fried has eclipsed 160 innings pitched in three of the last four seasons and he finished runner-up in NL Cy Young voting in 2022. He's not the top-billed free agent pitcher this winter, but Fried can deliver results on par with the very best in baseball.

2. Roki Sasaki would give the Astros a new building block on the mound

The playing field is hypothetically even for Roki Sasaki, who is ineligible to sign a Yoshinobu Yamamoto-esque megadeal coming out of Japan due to his age. The 23-year-old will be signed as an international prospect, which means teams will need to convince him to join their organization for baseball reasons, not financial reasons.

Houston typically carries a hefty wallet in free agency, but that is a world-class organization coming off a historic run of ALCS appearances. It's clear the Astros are in a transitional period following Dusty Baker's retirement, but Houston absolutely has the star-power necessary to contend at a high level in the American League. If Sasaki wants to pitch for a contender — one where he's well insulated by quality young arms in the bullpen — Houston ought to be appealing.

Hunter Brown and Spencer Arrighetti emerged in 2024, proof positive that Houston can develop pitchers internally. Framber Valdez is another career-long Astro. Sasaki shouldn't have any doubts about Houston's development track record, nor would he be hung out to dry in a weak rotation. In terms of depth, location (no state income tax!), and situation, the Astros profile as one of the best potential landing spots for the right-handed fireballer.

1. Blake Snell would bring Cy Young pedigree to Astros rotation

The Astros have effectively lost their No. 1 ace in Justin Verlander to age and injuries. There's a chance Verlander is back next season, but expecting his standard excellence would be a fool's errand. As such, the Astros are without true Cy Young pedigree atop their rotation. Blake Snell can fill that void.

This is perhaps a bit far-fetched considering the Astros' apparent financial restraints this winter, but Snell has been too dominant to ignore. He would elevate Houston's rotation to the next level, potentially restoring the Astros' World Series aspirations in the process.

Last season was a real doozy for Snell, who didn't sign a contract until the very end of spring training. He struggled with injuries and rust out of the gate, looking borderline unplayable for half the season. Then he snapped into shape around the All-Star break and the rest is history. Over the second half of the campaign, Snell was pound-for-pound the best pitcher in baseball — point blank.

He can struggle with walks and durability, but Snell is a two-time Cy Young winner with a ceiling as high as any pitcher in the MLB. From July on last season, Snell posted a 1.23 ERA and 1.77 FIP across 14 starts, striking out 114 in 80.1 innings of work for the San Francisco Giants. That included a 15-strikeout performance against the Rockies and a complete-game no-hitter against the Reds.

Nobody does it like Snell at his best. The Astros would be lucky to get him in the building.