The Houston Astros clearly need to address their first base position this offseason.
After attempting to solve the issue by bringing in José Abreu, the move didn’t yield the expected results. As a result, the Astros are likely to search for a new solution this offseason, with the Chicago Cubs potentially being a viable trade partner. Chicago has been linked to the idea of trading All-Star slugger Cody Bellinger, who is set to earn $27.5 million in 2025. Bellinger is versatile, capable of playing both first base and the outfield.
In a recent discussion of potential trades for the upcoming Winter Meetings, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and David Schoenfield suggested Bellinger to the Astros. McDaniel pointed out that Houston faces some tough decisions, with key players like Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, and Ryan Pressly heading for free agency in the near future. GM Dana Brown will need to decide whether to keep the current core intact by signing or extending these players or to make changes and bring in younger talent. With a farm system not offering much help and limited payroll space, McDaniel sees Bellinger as an interesting option. His ability to play multiple positions and his affordable contract for 2025 (with a $5 million buyout for 2026) could offer the Astros flexibility in addressing their needs. A trade could potentially involve minimal prospect cost, especially if the Cubs contribute some salary relief. This would allow Houston to make strategic decisions regarding their key players and could even free them up to let Bregman go or trade some of the other stars.
Bellinger could be an excellent fit to improve the first base position without requiring a large prospect return. The Astros should also explore free-agent options, but Bellinger appears to be a sensible trade target.