Photo: U.S. Army photo by Austin Thomas, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Astros officially opened full-squad workouts Monday in West Palm Beach, and manager Joe Espada wasted no time setting the tone for camp.
His message to the 64 players in major-league camp was simple: Don’t let last season define this one.
“Not letting 2025 define who we are,” Espada said. “That’s pretty much it. Leave that in the past. We are a great team. We learned from the past, we’re going to adjust and we’re going to move forward.”
Houston finished 87–75 last season and missed the postseason by a single game, ending a run of playoff appearances that stretched back nearly a decade. Injuries played a major role in the club’s uneven year, with key players in and out of the lineup and the team losing significant projected production over the course of the season.
Camp opened this spring with a relatively clean slate. Espada said the full roster reported on time and that there were no major concerns on the position-player side. Catcher Yainer Díaz is easing back after a left foot sprain but is expected to be ready for Grapefruit League action. Closer Josh Hader is currently limited to catch play while working back from recent biceps inflammation.
There are still plenty of questions to answer as spring unfolds. The Astros have competition for multiple rotation spots, an unsettled outfield picture, and a crowded infield mix that will need to be sorted out before Opening Day.
Espada acknowledged the challenges but framed them as opportunities.
“There’s quite a few, obviously,” he said when asked about the team’s biggest camp questions. “Creating a roster that is functional, that we can put each player in a position to have success. I think that’s the biggest thing for us on the position player side. And our pitching. We have a ton of really good arms here. So it’s going to take some time for us to figure out what’s the best way to deploy these pitchers and also protect ourselves from the longevity of the season.”
For a team coming off its first missed postseason since 2016, the focus this spring is clear: Learn from last year, get healthy, and move forward.