The ongoing MLB season looks like the same script of last year repeating. Why? Because it looks so familiar that the Astros are stumbling when the season has just started. However, if history is any guide, a slow start doesn’t spell doom for the Astros. Remember this time last year? Still, you’re not alone if you think the club cannot make it big this year because they have yet to fire on all cylinders. Amid this situation, MLB insider Jim Bowden might offer a good reality check for the team.
Yes, the Astros took a sluggish start, but not a disastrous one like in 2024. Is it? While it took a good time till April 19 to win consecutive games for the first time this year, they’re not spiraling like they were this time last year. However, Bowden is skeptical to bet on the Astros’ offense.
“This offense clearly misses third baseman Alex Bregman, who departed to Boston in free agency, and right fielder Kyle Tucker, who was traded to the Cubs after Houston was unable to sign him to a long-term contract. Isaac Paredes (four home runs) is the only Astros player with more than three homers. Apart from Jose Altuve, Jake Meyers, and Jeremy Peña, everyone else in their starting lineup is hitting below .235.“
It’s wild—and honestly kind of maddening—that a lineup that stacked is putting up such minuscule numbers. On paper, Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez alone should be dragging the offense to at least the middle of the pack, and then you’ve got Yainer Diaz’s breakout potential, Christian Walker’s pop, and Jeremy Pena swinging a hot bat lately. But somehow, the whole is less than the sum of its parts.
That slash line—.236/.310/.349 is just underwhelming. The lack of power is especially glaring. Only 19 home runs? That’s way off the usual pace for a team that’s been known for slugging. An OPS+ of 91 tells the story: they’re a below-average offense with star names.
Ahh, talking about stars, the Astros lost Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker this year. The rest? All the hitting below .235. That sums up the devastating offense of the team. So, what’s left? Does this year offer nothing for the Astros, or is there any ray of hope left? If yes, then their pitching lineup is all that is going with all guns blazing.
The Astros are still far from over
Honestly, if there’s one thing keeping the Astros afloat right now, it’s their pitching rotation and bullpen. The pitching staff has been quietly carrying them through this offensive drought. Guys like Hunter Brown are off to a flying start this year. It’s wild to think he’s surpassed Framber Valdez so quickly, but that 3-1 with a 1.16 ERA? That’s not just good; that’s Cy Young candidate territory.
And the timing couldn’t be better. With the offense slumping, having a reliable stopper like Brown at the top of the rotation gives the team a chance to reset every fifth day. Moreover, Framber Valdez (26 SOs) is really settling in, and Ryan Gusto’s debut has been a pleasant surprise. Add to that the potential return of Lance McCullers Jr., and the staff might only get stronger. So, it’s got shades of those classic Astros teams that didn’t always need to mash to win—just enough timely hitting with shutdown pitching.
We think we have seen the same situation with the Astros before, where their veteran core stepped up, their pitching solidified, and their offense eventually found rhythm.
Remember the team’s turnaround in 2023? They hovered around .500 through May but surged post-All-Star break and made the playoffs. So, why not this time? Only if the Astros’ offense offers a better value. 13-12 is still not a big hole to get away from in April.
Do you think this year feels more like a bump in the road for the Astros or the beginning of a decline?
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