Astros Pick Up Isaac Paredes' $13.35M Option
Houston exercised the club option on the infielder for the 2027 season, avoiding another arbitration cycle this winter.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Baseball
The Astros exercised a $13.35 million club option on infielder Isaac Paredes for 2027, announced Monday. The move keeps Paredes under team control in his final year of salary arbitration eligibility.
Why it matters
Paredes served as the everyday third baseman for much of 2026 after Carlos Correa suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Picking up the option is also a potential cost-saving move, since MLB Trade Rumors projects he would have earned about $15 million in arbitration.
Paredes posted a .806 OPS with 25 home runs and 94 RBIs, tied for sixth in the American League, over 155 games in 2026. The club option's $13.35 million value sits against a projected arbitration salary of about $15 million, and whether it becomes mutual depends on MVP voting results due Nov. 12.
The players
Isaac Paredes
Paredes is an infielder who has become a key contributor for the Houston Astros in recent seasons.
Carlos Correa
Correa is a veteran shortstop whose early-2026 ankle injury opened up more playing time for Paredes at third base.
The details
The Astros announced the exercise on Monday rather than declining the option, which would have sent Paredes through arbitration again this winter. Paredes played most of 2026 at third base after Correa's early-May injury, and the option's salary is a $4 million raise over his current $9.35 million.
Timeline
Early May 2026: Carlos Correa suffers a season-ending ankle injury.
2026 season: Paredes hits 25 home runs with 94 RBIs over 155 games.
Monday, Nov. 2, 2026: The Astros announce the club option exercise.
Nov. 12, 2026: MVP voting results are announced, determining whether the option becomes mutual.
Season Trajectory
Under MLB's salary arbitration system, teams often choose between a fixed club option and a costlier arbitration award, and the Astros' decision to pick up Paredes' option at $13.35 million rather than face a projected $15 million arbitration salary follows that pattern. The move shapes the Astros' infield planning for 2027 as they weigh whether Correa returns healthy and whether Paredes or Jeremy Peña is a trade chip this offseason.
For fantasy managers, Paredes' 25 home runs and 94 RBIs in 2026 make his role at third base for 2027 a meaningful consideration as the infield picture clarifies. The option's 2027 salary also means he stays on the Astros' roster, which affects how Houston fills the infield if Correa's ankle recovery is slower than expected.
The takeaway
The option exercise shows how teams use fixed-price club options to control costs before free agency. Watch the Nov. 12 MVP results, which could convert Paredes' deal into a mutual option.
What happens next
MVP voting results are announced Nov. 12, which will determine whether the club option becomes a mutual option for Paredes.
Further reading
For more on the team's roster moves, see Houston Baseball coverage.
