Houston Astros hat and glove in the dugout during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. William Purnell-Imagn Images

Astros Face Potentially Insane Salary Arbitration Bill for 2026 Season

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated Oct 13, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Houston Astros are unlikely to re-sign free agent starting pitcher Framber Valdez for 2026. The Astros will need the money.

Houston faces a salary arbitration dilemma like few other teams in Major League Baseball. Every franchise has arbitration eligible players to deal with. But the Astros have 16, and many of them play key roles in the future of the franchise. Six players are considered front line or platoon starters and four more are starting pitchers.

When MLB Trade Rumors released its annual arbitration projections last week, projections that tend to be accurate, the Astros clearly have financial issues they must deal with beyond free agency.

Houston Astros’ Huge Potential Arbitration Bill

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The sights projections are based on a variety of factors, including a player’s service time and their on-field success. The longer one plays, the higher the value. But the better one plays the value can soar. That’s the dilemma that Houston faces. Based on the MLBTR projections, Houston could shell out more than $60 million for 2026.

The costliest players will play key roles next season, including infielder Isaac Paredes ($9.3 million), shortstop Jeremy Pena ($7.9 million), outfielder Jesus Sanchez ($6.5 million), super utility player Mauricio Dubon ($5.8 million), next year’s presumed ace, pitcher Hunter Brown ($5.7 million) and catcher Yainer Diaz ($4.5 million). Another utility player, Ramon Urias, is set to make a projected $4.4 million.

One of the team’s top relievers, Bryan Abreu, is set to make a projected $5.9 million in his final year before free agency. Other relievers due projected paydays of more than $1 million include Steven Okert at $2.2 million and Bennet Sousa at $1.1 million. Two starting pitcher that are recovering from Tommy John surgery are on the list — Luis Garcia at a projected $2.2 million and Hayden Wesneski at $1.5 million.

Houston can relieve some of the logjam with trades or by non-tendering the player, meaning the Astros don’t intend to offer them a contract for 2026 and allowing them to be free agents.

Other players with projections in arbitration include pitcher Enyel De Los Santos ($2.1 million), outfielder Chas McCormick ($3.4 million), outfielder Jake Meyers ($3.5 million) and outfielder Taylor Trammell ($900,000).

Players with at least three years of service time and no more than six years of service time are eligible for arbitration. Some players with less than three years are eligible based on certain criteria (usually called Super 2 players). Typically, eligible players and teams settle before a hearing. If there is no deal before the deadline, then the two sides exchange salary demands and go to a hearing. Any time before that hearing a settlement can be reached.

This article first appeared on Houston Astros on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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