The Houston Astros have been a dominant force in the American League for the past eight seasons after making seven straight American League Championship Series.
Now that the streak has ended with their wild-card loss in 2024, the Astros’ streak of dominance could be coming to an end.
The Astros have already traded star outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs and are on the verge of losing third baseman Alex Bregman to free agency.
In a situation where it feels like the Astros need to make a move, MLB Analyst CJ Nitkowski named a free-agent first baseman who would be a good fit for the Astros.
“You might end up doing better with Pete Alonso,” Nitkowski said via MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM.
Do the @Astros shift the focus from 3B to 1B after the reported trade block from Nolan Arenado?
CJ Nitkowski breaks down possible options at first for Houston:
https://t.co/fGPbvbjGlC pic.twitter.com/UN6pG0p6Qu
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) December 19, 2024
The Astros acquired third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Cubs in the trade for Tucker, which could fill the position if Bregman signs elsewhere.
In 2024 with the Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays, Paredes played in 153 games where he batted .238 with 19 home runs, 80 RBIs, and a .739 OPS.
Because of this, Nitkowski suggests the Astros focus on the first base position and try to sign Alonso from the New York Mets.
In 2024 with the Mets, Alonso played in all 162 games where he batted .240 with 34 home runs, 88 RBIs, and a .788 OPS.
Nitkowski mentions that the team might be better off with this combination than if they were to sign Bregman to the big deal he is seeking.
Alonso will be a name to keep an eye on as the Astros try to win their fifth straight AL West title in 2025.
The post Analyst Names Free Agent First Baseman As A Good Fit For Astros appeared first on The Cold Wire.