How does Houston keep doing it? Let’s take a closer look at their payroll and salary allocation details, as well as the upcoming Astros free agents for the offseason.
Well, the Houston Astros did it again. No matter how you feel about these blokes from H-Town, they won another pennant, putting Mattress Mack on the precipice of another smashing payday. It doesn’t even matter that they lost Carlos Correa to free agency. Rival fans around Major League Baseball may not love it — in fact, they may downright hate it — but there is no steadier force in the game right now than the denizens of Minute Maid Park.
So, how have the Stros managed to flex such incredible organizational stability despite an all-too-recent cheating scandal that claimed several VIPs’ jobs, including manager AJ Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow?
Let’s take a closer look at Houston’s balance sheet and roster details, including the upcoming Astros free agents set to hit the open market this winter.
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Houston Astros Free Agents 2022-23
All figures via Spotrac.
Unrestricted free agents
1. OF Michael Brantley
- Age: 35
- 2022 salary: $16,000,000
2. C Jason Castro
- Age: 35
- 2022 salary: $4,750,000
3. SS Aledmys Diaz
- Age: 32
- 2022 salary: $4,450,000
4. 1B Yuli Gurriel
- Age: 38
- 2022 salary: $8,000,000
5. C Martin Maldonado
- Age: 36
- 2022 salary: $5,000,000
6. RP Rafael Montero
- Age: 32
- 2022 salary: $2,725,000
Player options
- Age: 39
- 2022 salary: $25,000,000
- 2023 player option: $25,000,000
Club options
RP Will Smith
- Age: 33
- 2022 salary: $13,000,000
- 2023 club option: $13,000,000
Mutual options
1B Trey Mancini
- Age: 30
- 2022 salary: $7,500,000
- 2023 mutual option: $10,000,000
Eligible for arbitration
Year 1: RP Phil Maton, RP Ryan Stanek
Year 2: RP Josh James, SP Framber Valdez
Year 3: OF Mauricio Dubon, SP Christian Javier, RP Blake Taylor, OF Kyle Tucker, SP Jose Urquidy
Houston Astros Payroll 2022
Figures updated as of Oct. 25, 2022.
2022 Opening Day Total Payroll: $163,939,599
Current 26-man Payroll: $144,964,729
Current 2022 Total Payroll: $192,931,925
Estimated 2022 Payroll Including Luxury Tax: $212,018,922
Salary on the books for 2023: $154,833,332
Click here to check out Boardroom’s full breakdown of team payrolls around the MLB.
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Top Houston Astros Contracts 2022
The following are the 10 biggest Astros contracts on the books by total value as noted by Spotrac.
1. SS Jose Altuve
- Contract: 7 years, $163,500,000
- Average annual value (AAV): $23,357,143
- Free agency: 2024-25
2. DH Yordan Alvarez
- Contract: 6 years, $115,000,000
- AAV: $19,166,667
- Free agency: 2028-29
NOTE: Alvarez’s extension begins in the 2023 season.
3. 3B Alex Bregman
- Contract: 5 years, $100,000,000
- AAV: $20,000,000
- Free agency: 2024-25
4. SP Lance McCullers Jr.
- Contract: 5 years, $85,000,000
- AAV: $17,000,000
- Free agency: 2026-27
5. SP Justin Verlander
- Contract: 2 years, $50,000,000
- AAV: $25,000,000
- Free agency: 2022-23 or 2023-24 (player option)
6. RP Will Smith
- Contract: 3 years, $40,000,000
- AAV: $13,333,333
- Free agency: 2022-23 or 2023-24 (club option)
7. RP Ryan Pressly
- Contract: 2 years, $30,000,000
- AAV: $15,000,000
- Free agency: 2025-26
8. RP Hector Neris
- Contract: 2 years, $17,000,000
- AAV: $8,500,000
- Free agency: 2023-24 or 2024-25 (club option)
9. 1B Trey Mancini
- Contract: 1 year, $7,500,000
- AAV: $7,750,000
- Free agency: 2022-23 or 2023-24 (mutual option)
NOTE: The Astros and Mancini have a $10,000,000 mutual option for 2023 that can be bought out for $250,000.
10. DH Yordan Alvarez
- Contract: 1 year, $764,600
- AAV: $764,600
- Free agency: N/A
NOTE: This is Alvarez’s active contract for 2022 before his extension begins.
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