Astros quietly lock in 11 players and skip arbitration with two others, signaling a no-drama blueprint for roster stability heading into 2026. DD
The Houston Astros opted to keep most of their arbitration-eligible players when the deadline to tender contracts came on Friday.
Turns out the Houston Astros were done releasing or trading arbitration-eligible players — at least for now.
On Friday, the Astros announced that they tendered 12 arbitration-eligible players contract for the 2026 season — pitcher Bryan Abreu, infielder Nick Allen, pitcher Hunter Brown, catcher Yainer Diaz, outfielder Jake Meyers, outfielder Steven Okert, infielder Isaac Paredes, shortstop Jeremy Pena, outfielder Jesus Sanchez, pitcher Bennett Souza and pitcher Hayden Wesneski.
Houston also announced contracts with pitcher Enyel De Los Santos and outfielder Taylor Trammell to avoid arbitration.
The Astros only opted to shed two arbitration-eligible players. One, utility man Mauricio Dubon, was traded earlier this week to Atlanta for Allen. The other, infielder Ramon Urias, was designated for assignment earlier this week and was non-tendered. He is now a free agent.
What’s Ahead for Astros in Arbitration
The Astros did not announce the terms of the deals for De Los Santos or Trammell. But Chandler Rome of The Athletic on X (formerly Twitter) reported that De Los Santos would get $1.6 million in 2026, with a $100,000 bonus if he makes 60 appearances. Trammell signed a split contract that will pay him the equivalent of $900,000 for the time he plays in the Majors in 2026.
Even with the moves, Houston faces a hefty arbitration bill. Just because they tendered each of those players a contract, it does not mean they still can’t be traded this offseason. But Houston and these players must agree to a one-year contract by mid-January or they’ll head to arbitration to settle salary.
Per MLB Trade Rumors, which projected salaries for arbitration-eligible players earlier this season, Houston could be on the hook for nearly $50 million for its remaining 11 players. The costliest players could include Paredes ($9.3 million), Pena ($7.9 million), Sanchez ($6.5 million), Brown ($5.7 million), Diaz ($4.5 million) and Meyers (3.5 million)
Shedding Urias and Dubon shed a projected $10 million from the payroll. Dubon agreed to a one-year deal worth $6.1 with the Braves.
Abreu is expected to make a projected $5.9 million in his final year before free agency. Other relievers projected for paydays of more than $1 million include Okert at $2.2 million and Sousa at $1.1 million. Wesneski, who is expected to miss part of the 2026 season due to elbow surgery, is expected to make $1.5 million.
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.
