The Houston Astros and third baseman Isaac Paredes avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $6.625 million deal, according to a source. Paredes is heading into his first year in Houston in 2025 after the Astros acquired him from the Chicago Cubs this offseason in the

Of Houston's eight arbitration-eligible players, only Framber Valdez had not reached a deal as the deadline approaches.

I posted a payroll update for the 2025 season, noting the Astros' position regarding the competitive balance tax. At the time, I also provided a breakdown of what I view as the three most commonly used sources for player payroll information.