Coming off a disappointing 2026 campaign, the Houston Astros have changed up their organizational structure, firing their general manager and manager, opening the door to some fresh faces leading the franchise.
As the team gears up for the offseason, there are plenty of names worth keeping tabs on for who could be traded. While Yordan Alvarez isn’t likely going anywhere, the same cannot be said for a different All-Star.
As Fansided.com MLB insider Robert Murray highlighted, Jeremy Pena is very likely to be a trade candidate this offseason. The reason why? All fans have to do is look back at how the team handled Kyle Tucker a few years ago.
Why Astros’ Jeremy Pena is a likely trade candidate this offseason
“But this is a situation similar to Kyle Tucker, where a star player is nearing the end of his deal,” Murray writes. “And Pena happens to be represented by Scott Boras, who is known for not doing extensions and preferring his players establish their values in free agency.”
Houston is not just going to trade Pena away for nothing, as he has immense value, and if they can’t find a suitable offer, they’d just keep him.
But a trade is very much in play for the Astros this offseason. Pena is only under club control for the 2027 season, which might even be shortened due to a lockout.
MORE: Astros have 2 clear trade candidates during MLB offseason
Following a disappointing 2026 season, even though they won the AL West, the Astros being sellers this offseason would make perfect sense.
They can keep Alvarez and Hunter Brown, but shipping out someone like Pena, who’s in the final year of his deal and will surely have suitors lining up to make serious offers, makes him an incredibly obvious trade candidate.
Thanks to a combination of Pena being in his last year, the precedent set two years ago with Tucker, and Boras’ presence effectively shutting down any extension talks, Pena is very likely to be traded this offseason.
