DALLAS -- Astros general manager Dana Brown departed the Winter Meetings on Wednesday afternoon without any deals being made, but the biggest news is that they're motivated to trade three-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker, perhaps in the coming days. Brown said Monday the team was open to trading Tucker and two-time All-Star left-hander Framber Valdez before they hit free agency in a year.

Tucker will likely make more than $15 million in arbitration this year and could be the biggest name on the free agent market in a year, meaning staying in Houston would be extremely unlikely. If the Astros could free up sizable payroll and get a couple of controllable, quality players and upper-level prospects who are close to big league ready, trading Tucker -- or Valdez -- would make sense. Valdez could make more than $18 million in arbitration.

Meanwhile, Brown maintained Tuesday he felt optimistic the Astros could re-sign free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, but the club has started to plot out life without Bregman in their lineup in 2025. Houston has offered Bregman around $156 million for six years, which falls short of what it would likely take to keep him.

¡°It¡¯s difficult to think of what the work is like without Bregman, but we¡¯re still projected, even without Bregman, to win the division,¡± Brown said. ¡°If we don¡¯t have him back, we¡¯ll definitely try to upgrade or improve, and we¡¯ll try to do the same at first base. ¡­ Ultimately, we don¡¯t want to talk about life without Bregman until it¡¯s over, because we still feel like we¡¯ve got a shot.¡±

BIGGEST REMAINING NEEDS

1. Corner infield: If Bregman returns, the Astros will have locked up two cornerstone infielders -- Bregman and second baseman Jose Altuve -- for the next several years. That would allow them to make a smaller move to add some depth at first base, such as a right-handed bat that could platoon with Jon Singleton. If Bregman doesn¡¯t re-sign with the Astros, that opens the possibility of making a bigger splash at first base, whether it¡¯s signing a free agent like Christian Walker or making a trade. The club is interested in signing free-agent infielder Jorge Polanco, who could play third base, and has been linked to Cubs infielder Isaac Paredes.

2. Starting pitching: Injuries to Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. have limited the Astros¡¯ starting pitching depth beyond Valdez, Hunter Brown, Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti. The next wave of starters in the system are unproven, underscoring the need to add a starter. The price of high-end starting pitching is high, but the Astros won¡¯t be shopping in that area. They just need to add some depth somewhere in the rotation.

3. Relief pitching: The bullpen will be anchored next year by closer Josh Hader, Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly, who¡¯s been dangled in trades prior to making $14 million in the final year of his deal. They¡¯ll return Tayler Scott, who had a breakout 2024, and have pieces in lefty Bryan King and right-hander Kaleb Ort, but the Astros could use an arm or two to bolster their depth.

4. Outfield bat: The Astros are in the market to add a bat to their outfield mix of Chas McCormick and Jake Meyers, who both hit right-handed. If they trade Tucker, they¡¯ll undoubtedly have to acquire another outfielder who would be capable of starting in right field.

RULE 5 DRAFT

The Astros didn¡¯t lose a player in any portion of the Rule 5 Draft and made five selections in the Minor League portion: right-handed pitchers Julio Rodriguez (Giants), Jean Pinto (Orioles) and Anderson Bido (Rockies), shortstop Jack Blomgren (Rockies), and left-handed pitcher Nick Swiney (Giants).

Rodriguez, 24, had a 3.48 ERA in 38 relief appearances across three levels in the Giants' system, spending a majority of the year in High-A Eugene. Pinto, 23, missed last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but made 22 appearances (17 starts) at High-A and Double-A in ¡®23, posting a 3.10 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 81 1/3 innings. Bido, 25, had a 3.29 ERA in 38 1/3 innings between High-A and Double-A.

Blomgren, 26, hit .279 with 10 extra-base hits and an .829 OPS in 34 games last season, mostly at High-A Spokane. Meanwhile, Swiney, 25, spent the entire 2024 season at Double-A Richmond and had a 5.25 ERA in 72 innings, which include a pair of starts. He was originally a second-round compensatory selection by the Giants in the 2020 MLB Draft.

GM¡¯S BOTTOM LINE

¡°We have a lot of good players on our Major League team; we have a lot of good players in our Minor Leagues. If we think we can improve this club by trade, we will do it. It¡¯s got to make sense for us. Right now, we¡¯re projected to win the division. If we can try to improve the team, we will do it.¡± -- Brown