Astros' projected Opening Day lineup following Mauricio Dubon trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Last week, the Houston Astros engaged in a trade with the Atlanta Braves. Houston received infielder Nick Allen in exchange for Mauricio Dubon.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt was not an earth-shattering trade, but it did allow the Astros to get a little bit more financial flexibility, which they need. Their biggest focus will be on either retaining Framber Valdez, which is a long shot, or acquiring another frontline starting pitcher.
Luckily for Houston, quite a few frontline pitchers are looking for a new opportunity. Some fans are patiently waiting for them to strike a deal with Justin Verlander, while others would love to see the front office secure someone like Michael King or Merrill Kelly.
Astros' projected Opening Day lineup following Mauricio Dubon trade
There is some thought that the Astros will roll into the 2026 season without making many offensive changes. Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter believes they have what it takes to be a strong team if their core can stay off the IL.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"There were only eight gamers last season where Carlos Correa and Isaac Paredes were both in the lineup, and Yordan Alvarez was sidelined for all of them, so the Astros need to figure out how all the pieces fit together between second base, third base, left field, and designated hitter."
Just having Yordan Alvarez healthy alone should make this look like a completely different team. According to Reuter, he sees the Astros rolling out an Opening Day starting lineup consisting of this:
SS Jeremy Pena
LF Yordan Alvarez
2B Jose Altuve
3B Carlos Correa
DH Isaac Paredes
1B Christian Walker
C Yainer Diaz
RF Cam Smith
CF Jake Meyers
This would be a pretty similar lineup to what they ran last season when everyone was healthy. While they are not expected to make many moves to help the offense, they don't need to. They just need their core players to stay healthy in 2026, which is easier said than done.
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