The losers in the Juan Soto sweepstakes might have quite the good fallback and likely much more cost-efficient option now available. The Astros are willing to listen to trade offers for superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker, along with pitcher Framber Valdez, with just one year left on both of their contracts, . You would listen on all the players. I dont think you would turn a deaf ear to any of these guys, in Dallas. The big thing is if you have an opportunity to make the club better that you would at least listen to other clubs and see if theres something that makes sense for the club in the present and long term. Kyle Tucker provides a power-speed combination. Getty Images The Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Dodgers each fell short in the Soto sweepstakes, with the Mets , and those teams are now onto their for building their best rosters for 2025. Those secondary plans may have included waiting to make a bid for Tucker another lefty slugger next winter, but hes ironically now in the same situation as Soto last year. Explore More The Astros, like the Dante Exum Jersey Padres before them, likely have a strong idea of whether Tucker will re-sign or hit free agency and Browns comments indicate the Astros are nervous about losing their star. The Padres traded Soto to the Yankees last season and received Michael King and prospect Drew Thorpe as part of a package that vastly exceeds the draft pick compensation San Diego would have received. Any team interested in Tucker would then have a year to sell him on signing a long-term deal and hope he . Tucker, 27, would be quite the consolation prize. Tucker rounds the bases after homering off Carlos Rodon in May. Robert Sabo for NY Post Juan Soto chose the Mets and the runner-ups have the pivot. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post The outfielder produced a .993 OPS this year spanning 78 games and is just one season removed from a 29-homer, 30-steal season. The former No. 5 pick in the 2015 MLB Draft owns a career .274/.353/.516 slashline with an .870 OPS, and has averaged 28 homers over the last four seasons. Theres certainly an argument to be made that Tucker, even if he receives $500 million, is a better investment than Soto due to the le ser financial commitment and his speed-power capabilities. Valdez also is a strong trade chip since hes coming off a fantastic 15-7 season with a 2.91 ERA that placed him seventh in the American League Cy Young race. Framber Valdez also is on the trade block. Getty Images Hes 68-41 with 3.30 ERA in his career and has started at least 22 games in four straight seasons, while finishing in the top 10 in Cy Young voting in three straight seasons. The Astros are facing a critical moment in their juncture with star and the po sibility looming that several key players may be on their way out. Larry Nance Jersey