The Houston Astros have entered uncharted territory this season.

For the first time in eight years, they were not one of the two teams involved in the American League Championship Series.

The Astros were eliminated in the Wild Card round by the Detroit Tigers. They failed to win a playoff series for the first time since losing the NLDS in 2001.

Houston will now focus on the offseason and they have a lot of questions to answer this winter. With several superstars, including third baseman Alex Bregman, on expiring contracts, the organization will have to make some tough decisions when putting together its roster for next year.

If they intend to return to the playoffs for the ninth straight time in 2025, they will need to improve their roster to compete with the rest of the American League contenders.

What better place to start than players who have had success in a place where half of their games will be played?

Of the 76 pending unrestricted free agents this offseason, only a handful have had consistent success in competition at Minute Maid Park, the Astros’ home stadium.

Here are the top players looking for a new team this winter who had the best results in Houston, regardless of their position or the team’s needs.

Highest OPS: Adam Duvall

Although Duvall played in the MLB for 11 seasons, he only found himself behind the plate at Minute Maid Park in nine games during his career. However, when he got into the box against the Astros, he did well. Duvall had a 1.377 OPS in his 34 plate appearances against Houston at home, including four home runs and 10 RBIs.

It wasn’t the best season for Duvall as he found himself off the Atlanta Braves’ playoff roster towards the end of the year. However, a change of scenery might be just what the veteran outfielder needs. He could be a great depth piece for the Astros on a team that already has great players patrolling the outfield. A player with good numbers at Minute Maid Park would be ideal for Houston coming off the bench.

Best batting average: Tommy Pham

Another popular name on the list with excellent past performances at Minute Maid Park. In 13 games, Pham posted an impressive .364 batting average in 61 plate appearances. He collected seven extra-base hits during that span, including two home runs.

Pham found himself on three different teams last season, but not because of poor performance. The veteran outfielder debuted with the Chicago White Sox after signing with the campaign already underway. The struggling team traded him at the trade deadline to the St. Louis Cardinals. Once they also found themselves out of the playoffs, the Cardinals released him to allow him to sign with a contender before the September deadline. He found a spot on the Kansas City Royals team as they contended in the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

Like Duvall, Pham would be a great addition to the Astros team, even though they already have a good grip on the outfield positions. He could compete for one of the corner outfield spots next spring training and be a solid piece coming off the bench.

Most circuits: Yuli Gurriel

Not counting Bregman, since he was on the roster in 2024, another former player leads this category. Gurriel, the former Houston Gold Glove winner, had 94 home runs in his seven seasons with the ballclub, including 51 at Minute Maid Park.

Gurriel didn’t appear in the Majors in 2024 until late in the year after an injury to Royals Vinnie Pasquantino. They acquired him from the Braves who had stashed him in Triple-A. Over the course of 18 games on the year, he helped Kansas City earn a spot in the American League Wild Card by hitting .241/.338/.296 with three extra-base hits.

Could a reunion with the former Astros player be in the works?

Assuming he looks to play in 2025, Gurriel, 40, could be a potential piece for Houston to solve one of its biggest problems at first base.

Best of the rest: Yasmani Grandal

Grandal found success in his 14 games at Minute Maid during his long MLB career. In 49 plate appearances, he hit .333/.338/.677 with seven extra-base hits, including four long balls. That’s not a bad stat line for a receiver.

Grandal ended up with the Pittsburgh Pirates on a one-year deal in 2024. The 35-year-old catcher played in 72 games and hit .228/.304/.400 with nine home runs and 27 RBIs. He was close to league average with a 95 OPS+ on the season.

While the receiver position appears to be locked in for 2025 with backup Victor Caratini under contract, adding a veteran like Grandal may not be a good fit for the current roster, but if an opening becomes available, he would be a smart choice.

Best of the rest: Anthony Santander

Santander is the youngest player on this list to have done well in Houston. Through 16 games, he had an OPS of .818, including three home runs and seven RBIs.

Santander had his best season since his MLB debut in 2017. The 30-year-old hit a career-high 44 home runs as the Baltimore Orioles returned to the postseason for the second year in a row.

Would Santander work in Houston?

As mentioned above, the outfield is not the weak spot on this roster. However, if a team is lucky enough to bring in a power bat like Santander to line up with other sluggers like Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez, they may have to find a way to make it work.