Who Should Be the Astros’ Designated Hitter in 2027

The Astros have a number of questions to answer for the offseason, but one of the biggest is how to navigate their crowded infield. Carlos Correa’s return means the infield will need to shift. 

Correa suffered an ankle injury during pregame batting practice before the victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 5. After further review, it was decided that Correa needed surgery and would likely be out for the season.

At the time, other key players on the injured list included Yainer Díaz (left oblique strain), Joey Loperfido (right quad strain), and Jake Meyers (right oblique strain), while Jeremy Peña was still working his way back from a hamstring injury.

There were a few times throughout the season when it looked like Correa might make it back before the end of the season, but we won't see him again until 2027.

The injury also created a ripple effect across the infield, and Isaac Paredes stepped up and became a key piece.

For Correa, this was one of the toughest setbacks of his career. Beyond the injury itself, it was a frustrating hit for a player who came back to Houston to help lead this team.

With everyone healthy, where do they fit in? One of the biggest questions is, who should be the Astros' DH?

For the 2026 season, Yordan Alvarez held down that role for the majority of the season. Alvarez has expressed wanting more time in left field. Putting Alvarez in left field frees up a spot in the lineup for Correa, but where exactly? A likely possibility would be third base or designated hitter. The role could be split between Correa, Paredes, and Alvarez. Let's say Alvarez is in left field. While it is highly likely they will move around throughout the season, who should spend most of their time as the DH?

Batting stats and other relevant stats for those three guys:

Carlos Correa (2026): .279 AVG, 34 H, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 22 R, .369 OBP, .787 OPS.

Isaac Paredes (2026): .262 AVG, 147 H, 25 HR, 94 RBI, 69 R, .360 OBP, .807 OPS.

Yordan Alvarez (2026): .316 AVG, 179 H, 42 HR, 106 RBI, 105 R, .432 OBP, 1.033 OPS.

Looking at the stats, Alvarez obviously has the highest batting average, but Paredes and Correa are both above the MLB league average of .244. With Correa coming off surgery and Alvarez wanting more time in the outfield, a rotating DH keeps everyone playing. It would make sense to put Correa at DH early on to ease him back into the game after being sidelined for so long.