The Houston Astros came up short in their title defense last year when they were eliminated at home by their rival Texas Rangers.
With their core of star players returning for the 2024 campaign, they still have a roster that is able to compete for their third World Series title.
That became more evident when they signed Josh Hader to a record-setting contract that made him the highest-paid reliever in terms of present day value in MLB history.
The Astros have added players the past few years at the trade deadline to assist in their pursuit of winning the championship, and it worked out for them in 2022 when they added Trey Mancini, Christian Vasquez and Will Smith.
Although those pieces didn’t quite have the same impact as others in the past, they still filled out a World Series-winning roster.
Mancini struggled after he was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles, slashing .176/.258/.364 with only eight homers and 22 RBI.
His numbers dipped even lower during the playoffs, causing Houston to decline his club option for 2023.
