Apr 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; 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 Mentioned as Free Agency Fit For All-Star Slugger to Fix Outfield

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Michael Brauner | Last updated Oct 11, 2025 8:00 PM ET

The Houston Astros failed to make the postseason this year in what was the first campaign of a new era for the franchise for the first time since 2016.

Though tremendous amounts of promise were shown throughout the year and at times Houston even looked like a World Series contender, ultimately it was largely injuries and inconsistency that put them on the couch this October.

If the Astros are going to re-tool some things and expect to contend next year, there will be weaknesses they have to address this offseason in order to put themselves in a better spot. In a recent article naming each squad's biggest weakness, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report named the outfield for Houston.

While this may not come as much of a surprise, it was the potential solution he named that would raise some eyebrows.

Astros Named Logical Fit For All-Star Cedric Mullins

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"Cam Smith and Jake Meyers should be back as staples in the Houston outfield again in 2026, but left field was a revolving door all year, and an outside addition will be necessary unless they plan to move Jose Altuve to the grass on a full-time basis," Reuter wrote.

When attaching a logical fit to each team's biggest issue, Reuter mentioned for Houston former Baltimore Orioles standout slugger Cedric Mullins as someone who could help to add another permanent fixture out there.

Mullins was traded to the New York Mets at the deadline and struggled there down the stretch, but he has been consistently solid and reliable for the better part of the last decade. Inserting him into an outfield which struggled this year would instantly raise both the ceiling and floor.

Adding Mullins to Astros Outfield with Young Stars Could Prove Dynamic

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The overall numbers for Mullins in his age 30 season were not pretty, but the start was phenomenal. In the month of April, he slashed .260/.412/.468 with four home runs and 10 RBI in 23 games, finishing his Orioles tenure with 15 home runs in 91 games.

During his last full season with one squad in 2024, Mullins slashed .234/.305/.405 with 18 home runs and 54 RBI, collecting a 2.6 bWAR in 147 games played. While these numbers are not going to blow anyone away and Mullins' 6.2 bWAR 2021 season may have been an outlier, he is exactly the kind of steadying veteran force the young outfield needs.

Having been linked to Mullins at the deadline but not able to pull off a deal before the Mets swooped in, interest here in free agency could make a ton of sense. While it's not necessarily great the way he finished the year, it could work to Houston's benefit and put him more within their desired price range.

Depending on what the plan is moving forward for Jose Altuve, the Astros should absolutely be involved in the sweepstakes for Mullins. As hot stove season rapidly approaches here in the coming weeks, keep an eye out for rumors between Mullins and Houston.

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

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