Angels fans dancing on Astros' grave after awful Winter Meetings, Kyle Tucker trade

The last time the baseball world saw the Astros, they were getting swept in the first round of the playoffs at home by the... *checks notes*... Tigers!? Huh?? That doesn't sound like the big, bad Astros that we are used to seeing. Well, it sure feels like it's going to keep getting worse before it gets better after they no-showed the Winter Meetings.

This offseason, the Astros have signed... *checks notes again*...nobody! Zero major league deals for the Astros so far. That's less than the A's! It's far less than the Angels and Rangers. At least the Mariners are holding pat too, Astros fans, you're not alone.

The all-in Astros are reaping what they've sowed. Houston already had an abysmal farm system -- many rankings even had their's below the Angels' -- and they broke the dam to rent Yusei Kikuchi. Well, Kikuchi went on to greener pastures, and it looks like Alex Bregman will be doing the same soon. Bregman has a robust market, with the Red Sox, Yankees, and Tigers making serious runs to sign the 2x All Star/World Series champion.

The Astros' stock is trending down post-Winter Meetings

They have a giant payroll, a bad prospect pipeline, and their key contributors are leaving in free agency. Well, one way to remedy that is to sell-high on your players in order to replenish the farm and alleviate financial concerns. Say no more!

The Astros just traded Kyle Tucker to the Cubs, and are gauging the Framber Valdez and Ryan Pressly trade market. Despite only playing 78 games last season, Tucker had the Astros' position players' second highest fWAR. He led the Astros in fWAR in 2023. Well, he's out and Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski, and Cam Smith are in. Tucker is a STAR player who is worth hundreds of millions of dollars in free agency, and the Astros just sold him for parts.

Whether they are simply taking calls or seriously shopping Framber Valdez remains to be seen, but dealing Pressly feels like an inevitability now. Could they be shopping Josh Hader as well? It certainly would stand to reason. Furthermore, who are the Astros even targeting in trades or free agency? It does not seem like they are active at all. Other than trying to retain Bregman (which they presumably no longer are now that they have Isaac Paredes), they are barely linked to anybody. Now that Tucker is gone and if/when Bregman departs, it could continue to be a quasi-fire sale in Houston.

The Astros official X page took it upon themselves to console the emotional fanbase...and it backfired.

It does not seem like posting photos of Pedro Léon, Zach Dezenzo, César Salazar, or Chas McCormick assured Astros fans. Maybe they will post another collage but with Cam Smith this time! The X admin admitted they were rebuilding before they traded Tucker and before Bregman walks. At least they have Chas McCormick and his -10.9 offensive fWAR to replace Tucker.

The Angels had a quiet Winter Meetings, but at least they have numerous additions under their belt and rumors swirling around who they are targeting. The Astros feel like they are grasping for straws and pivoting into a new, non-dominant phase.

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