As longtime Astros beat writer Brian McTaggart explained on MLB Network, Houston has lost a number of major players to free agency in recent years like Carlos Correa, George Springer and Gerrit Cole, and the team no longer has the kind of farm system to make up for those losses.

With Kyle Tucker a year away from a massive deal in free agency, the Houston Astros are reportedly looking to deal their star outfielder. But the shadow cast by the team's cheating scandal could affect how much value they get in return.

Six weeks into the offseason, the Houston Astros have been among the least active teams in baseball. They've yet to sign a major-league free agent and the only 40-man roster player they've acquired in a trade is extra outfielder Taylor Trammell.