RRosternomics
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Astros HOU

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GM: Jeff Luhnow

Overview

CONTEND ↗ rising
expensive & winning · year 3 in this regime · payroll 1.35× league · TAB +29.5
+29.5TAB — talent above budget1st/30
+21.2WAB — realized wins (TAB + luck)3rd/30
11.0depth — 2+ WAR regulars2nd/30
-2.9dead WAR — sub-replacement drag6th/30
10%dead money %3rd/30
0.660win %1st/30
67.4roster fWAR1st/30
+47surplus $M (value vs cost)3rd/30
$174Mpayroll $M6th/30

2019: won pennant · 107–55. Ranks are vs the 30 teams that season.

Roster

CFJake Marisnick 109GGeorge Springer 75GMyles Straw 11G
LFMichael Brantley 120GJosh Reddick 29GKyle Tucker 11G
RFJosh Reddick 119GGeorge Springer 59GKyle Tucker 11G
SSCarlos Correa 75GAlex Bregman 65GMyles Straw 26G
2BJose Altuve 121GAledmys Díaz 25GJack Mayfield 5G
3BAlex Bregman 99GYuli Gurriel 42GAbraham Toro 24G
1BYuli Gurriel 110GAledmys Díaz 26GKyle Tucker 4G
STARTERSGerrit Cole 7.4WARJustin Verlander 6.4WARWade Miley 2.0WARZack Greinke 1.7WARBrad Peacock 1.1WAR
CRobinson Chirinos 112GMartín Maldonado 103GGarrett Stubbs 11G
DHYordan Alvarez 74GMichael Brantley 25GTyler White 19G
BULLPEN★ Roberto Osuna 38svRyan Pressly 31hWill Harris 26hHéctor Rondón 19hJoe Biagini 11hChris Devenski 7hJosh James 6hJoe Smith 4h
CRobinson Chirinos 112 · Martín Maldonado 103 · Garrett Stubbs 11
1BYuli Gurriel 110 · Aledmys Díaz 26 · Kyle Tucker 4
2BJose Altuve 121 · Aledmys Díaz 25 · Jack Mayfield 5
3BAlex Bregman 99 · Yuli Gurriel 42 · Abraham Toro 24
SSCarlos Correa 75 · Alex Bregman 65 · Myles Straw 26
LFMichael Brantley 120 · Josh Reddick 29 · Kyle Tucker 11
CFJake Marisnick 109 · George Springer 75 · Myles Straw 11
RFJosh Reddick 119 · George Springer 59 · Kyle Tucker 11
DHYordan Alvarez 74 · Michael Brantley 25 · Tyler White 19
SPGerrit Cole 7.4 · Justin Verlander 6.4 · Wade Miley 2.0 · Zack Greinke 1.7 · Brad Peacock 1.1
BP★ Roberto Osuna 38 · Ryan Pressly 31 · Will Harris 26 · Héctor Rondón 19 · Joe Biagini 11 · Chris Devenski 7 · Josh James 6 · Joe Smith 4

Each position lists its starter then backups by games (so platoons & bench show). Starters (mound) & bullpen (left, foul territory) are ranked by WAR; ★ marks the closer (most save chances). MLB Stats API.

2019 roster — value & surplus

PlayerAgeServiceGfWARSalary $MSurplus $M
Alex Bregman 25 arb 1568.3 0.6 +26.6
Gerrit Cole 28 FA-elig 337.4 13.5 +10.7
Justin Verlander 36 FA-elig 346.4 28.0 -7.0
George Springer 29 arb 1226.1 12.0 +8.0
Jose Altuve 29 FA-elig 1245.0 9.5 +6.8
Yuli Gurriel 35 arb 1444.0 10.4 +2.8
Michael Brantley 32 FA-elig 1484.0 16.0 -2.9
Carlos Correa 24 arb 753.8 5.0 +7.6
Yordan Alvarez 22 – 873.8 0.3 +12.1
Robinson Chirinos 35 FA-elig 1142.5 5.8 +2.5
Wade Miley 32 FA-elig 332.0 4.5 +2.1
Zack Greinke↔ ARI 35 FA-elig 101.7 9.6 -4.0
Roberto Osuna 24 arb 661.6 6.5 -1.1
Ryan Pressly 30 FA-elig 551.6 2.9 +2.2
Aledmys Díaz 28 arb 691.4 2.0 +2.7
Will Harris 34 FA-elig 681.1 4.2 -0.5
Brad Peacock 31 FA-elig 231.1 3.1 +0.6
Jake Marisnick 28 FA-elig 1201.0 2.2 +1.1
Myles Straw 24 pre-arb 561.0 0.2 +3.1
José Urquidy 24 – 90.8 0.2 +2.6
Josh Reddick 32 FA-elig 1410.7 13.0 -10.8
Tony Kemp↔ CHC 27 arb 660.6 0.4 +1.7
Kyle Tucker 22 pre-arb 220.6 0.1 +1.9
Collin McHugh 32 FA-elig 350.6 5.8 -3.9
Josh James 26 pre-arb 490.5 0.6 +1.2
Martín Maldonado↔ CHC 32 FA-elig 270.5 0.6 +0.9
Rogelio Armenteros 25 – 50.5 0.1 +1.4
Joe Smith 35 FA-elig 280.5 8.0 -6.5
Abraham Toro 22 – 250.4 0.1 +1.3
Chris Devenski 28 arb 610.3 1.5 -0.7
Bryan Abreu 22 – 70.2 0.1 +0.7
Derek Fisher↔ TOR 25 – 170.1 0.1 +0.4
Framber Valdez 25 pre-arb 260.1 0.6 -0.2
Cy Sneed 26 – 80.0 0.2 -0.2
Garrett Stubbs 26 – 19-0.1 0.2 -0.4
Max Stassi↔ ANA 28 FA-elig 31-0.1 0.4 -0.6
Jack Mayfield 28 – 26-0.2 0.1 -0.7
Aaron Sanchez↔ TOR 26 arb 4-0.2 0.6 -1.1
Cionel Pérez 23 pre-arb 5-0.2 0.1 -0.7
Héctor Rondón 31 FA-elig 62-0.2 4.5 -5.2
Brady Rodgers 28 – 3-0.2 0.1 -0.9
Reymin Guduan 27 – 7-0.3 0.1 -1.1
Corbin Martin 23 – 5-0.5 0.1 -1.7
Tyler White↔ LAD 28 arb 71-0.5 0.5 -2.1
Joe Biagini↔ TOR 29 arb 13-0.5 0.2 -1.8

Key additions (new vs 2018)

PlayerfWAR
Michael Brantley4.0
Yordan Alvarez3.8
Robinson Chirinos2.5
Wade Miley2.0
Zack Greinke1.7
Aledmys Díaz1.4

Key subtractions (gone from 2018)

Player2018 fWAR
Dallas Keuchel3.2
Charlie Morton2.8
Lance McCullers Jr.2.4
Marwin Gonzalez1.8
Tony Sipp0.8
Ken Giles0.7

Current & Historical Payroll

2019 payroll
$174.3M
2020 guaranteed
$0M

What the front office was committed to as of 2019, 2019–2025. Guaranteed $ are contract commitments signed by 2019; arbitration & free-agent years are projected from service time. Hover a figure for its luxury-tax (CBT) & actual-cash values.

current $ guaranteed $ arbitration (proj) pre-arb (proj) free agent club option player option mutual option vesting option

Guaranteed / signed (10)

PlayerAgeSvc2019202020212022202320242025
Justin Verlander3613.002$28.0MFREE AGENT
Michael Brantley328.131$16.0MFREE AGENT
Josh Reddick328.050$13.0MFREE AGENT
Zack Greinke3514.057$9.6MFREE AGENT
Jose Altuve297.072$9.5MFREE AGENT
Joe Smith3511.091$8.0MFREE AGENT
Robinson Chirinos356.102$5.8MFREE AGENT
Héctor Rondón316.000$4.5MFREE AGENT
Wade Miley327.025$4.5MFREE AGENT
Martín Maldonado326.156$643kFREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (13)

PlayerAgeSvc2019202020212022202320242025
Gerrit Cole285.111$13.5MFREE AGENT
George Springer294.166$12.0MARB 3FREE AGENT
Yuli Gurriel353.000$10.4MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Roberto Osuna243.097$6.5MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Collin McHugh325.084$5.8MFREE AGENT
Carlos Correa243.119$5.0MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Will Harris345.102$4.2MFREE AGENT
Brad Peacock314.165$3.1MARB 3FREE AGENT
Ryan Pressly305.039$2.9MFREE AGENT
Jake Marisnick284.132$2.2MARB 3FREE AGENT
Chris Devenski283.000$1.5MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Aaron Sanchez264.069$578kARB 3FREE AGENT
Joe Biagini293.000$186kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (22)

PlayerAgeSvc2019202020212022202320242025
Aledmys Díaz282.100$2.0MARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Alex Bregman252.070$640kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Framber Valdez250.041$567kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Josh James260.030$557kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Tyler White281.101$499kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Max Stassi282.049$359kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Tony Kemp271.098$350kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Yordan Alvarez220.000$337kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Myles Straw240.016$221kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Cy Sneed260.000$203kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Garrett Stubbs260.000$179kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
José Urquidy240.000$152kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jack Mayfield280.000$122kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Cionel Pérez230.067$119kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Abraham Toro220.000$113kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kyle Tucker220.051$84kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bryan Abreu220.000$78kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Corbin Martin230.000$69kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Reymin Guduan271.068$63kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Rogelio Armenteros250.000$57kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Derek Fisher250.151$54kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brady Rodgers281.063$51kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

Every roster slot ranked best→worst by WAR. Bars = Astros 2019; the black line = the league-average player at each slot that season. Staying above the line deep into the roster is the depth edge; dropping below it = holes & dead weight.

What each regime is worth — every settled team-season since 1985

RegimeSeasonsWin %Playoff %Pennant %WS %
WINDOW 28152.131.05.01.1
CONTEND 30056.964.719.710.3
FORCED-SPEND 25648.09.81.61.6
REBUILD 32143.31.20.30.3
Rosternomics — quantifying front-office skill, attribution-clean. Follow @rosternomics on X. Decision-makers on record back to 1933; resource-controlled metrics (WAR & payroll) cover 1985–2026.
Data: FanGraphs (WAR), Baseball-Reference & the Chadwick Bureau register (rosters, IDs), the Lahman Database, Baseball America prospect rankings (via The Baseball Cube), and public payroll records. Transaction and trade data was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Executive birth/death data via Wikidata (CC0); bios are original. Emoji graphics by OpenMoji (CC BY-SA 4.0).
All figures are franchise-level outcomes credited to the decision-maker in the acquisition year — not solely attributable to one executive.