The Houston Astros have taken a different approach compared to other Major League teams during their successful run, allowing multiple star players and homegrown talents to leave the organization.
This strategy may be a key factor behind their seven-year dominance in the American League, as they have focused on acquiring emerging players rather than paying for past achievements.
However, there comes a point when letting talent walk away catches up to a team. The Astros could soon face this issue, with Kyle Tucker potentially being traded, Alex Bregman likely leaving, and Framber Valdez heading toward free agency after the offseason’s market activity.
To avoid these outcomes, many teams, including Houston, have started offering early extensions to players they see as future stars, as evidenced by the five-year, $64 million deal for Cristian Javier under general manager Dana Brown.
However, it seems the Astros may have missed their chance to secure another young talent.
As reported by Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Hunter Brown, who was once interested in a contract extension, now may no longer be seeking one.
“Mutual interest existed for an extension last spring when Brown had a 4.60 ERA across just 176 major-league innings. A deal never materialized, Brown developed into a potential ace, and now may be out of the extension conversation altogether,” Rome writes.
This comes after Brown hired super-agent Scott Boras, a move typically made by players who expect a significant payday.
Brown’s contract situation is noteworthy. He won’t be arbitration-eligible until 2026, so he’s still a few years away from free agency. However, given his strong 3.49 ERA and 113 ERA+ across 31 starts and 170 innings last season, it’s significant that he is already considering free agency.
Though hiring Boras doesn’t rule out a possible extension with the Astros, past history suggests Brown may lean toward free agency rather than agreeing to a deal.
This would be a frustrating outcome for the Astros, especially if their approach to roster retention remains the same, potentially resulting in Brown playing for another team.
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