Can Houston win the battle against discomfort?
Are injuries jeopardizing the Astros' season?
May 27, 2019, 6:55 am
Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images
The Astros have taken some big blows recently on the injury front. Jose Altuve hasn't played since May 10 after his hamstring injury. George Springer strained his hamstring on his first night back after missing several games with back tightness. Also this weekend Houston lost Max Stassi and Aledmys Diaz to other leg issues.
The discomforts are stacking up, and with that many will start to worry if all this missed time from these players will degrade the overall outcome of the 2019 season. My opinion on that matter at the moment is this: no, not really.
It's only May
Sure, it's the end of May, but still, it's early in the season. You hope injuries don't happen at any point in the season, but if they must, you'd prefer earlier than later. If you remember, Carlos Correa missed the first three games of the season with a neck strain, something that some conservative rest time has allowed him to play thus far fully healthy.
With so much season left, the Astros have plenty of time left to be conservative with players who need some time off, so they might as well take a slower approach and be sure that the players are 100 percent healthy before getting them back in the lineup.
Another side-benefit of allowing plenty of breathing room for these star players dealing with injuries: they can go on rehab assignments not only to get them back in rhythm but provide some veteran knowledge to some of the prospects we may see soon.
The newest member of the #RRExpress, Jose Altuve! pic.twitter.com/QNaJAUS5Nt
— Andrew Felts (@andrewfelts) May 26, 2019
The division looks very winnable
Early in the season, the Astros were looking up at the Mariners who started the season on an absolute tear. Since then, the Mariners have had a very tough stretch while the Astros have gone on to win series after series while putting together a couple of ten-game winning streaks.
It's of course too early to fly the division banner, but as of now, it's looking like even with some injuries along the way the Astros may find the AL West to be a division they can lock up well before the end of the season. However, they have a ton of AL West matchups in the second half which could either be cakewalks or fierce battles during the playoff push.
Strong depth
One more reason that Houston can absorb a few players going on the injured list and take their time coming back, the team is balanced and has good depth. One way a team can keep the train moving with a few of their offensive leaders missing time: good pitching and defense. The Astros have plenty of that, including their rotation led by Justin Verlander, and strong defense including a strong left side of the infield and crazy athletic outfield.
Ok, so Jake Marisnick hit a homer earlier tonight... exciting... but is it as exciting as this snag!?!?!?!?
I think we know Wade Miley's answer. #TakeItBack pic.twitter.com/PnCZ2ug7nu
— AT&T SportsNet SW (@ATTSportsNetSW) May 25, 2019
There have been many plays on defense that have saved runs or stifled the momentum of opposing defenses, which along with a strong bullpen adds up to Houston's 8-5 record in one-run games. Despite moving Collin McHugh to the bullpen who would himself land on the injured list, the rest of the rotation has been solid, with Verlander having another Cy Young caliber year, Gerrit Cole leading the league in strikeouts, and Wade Miley and Brad Peacock racking up some quality starts.
A lot of defensive players can play multiple positions, which is a great benefit too. Yuli Gurriel can play first, second, or third. Tony Kemp can play second or in the outfield, and if needed Alex Bregman can play shortstop in addition to his now normal third base position. They're toeing the line of comfortability on infield versatility, but as of now, it's still manageable.
Put all of this together, and you've got a team that can still win plenty of games even with multiple injuries stacking up together. Even without Jose Altuve on the field and in the lineup, the Astros cruised along and rose to the top of the power rankings, and I think they still belong near the top of that list, for now, even with the other injuries that came later.
All of this said, even with the Astros being the best in the AL West, they need to ensure they can put themselves in a spot to earn home-field advantage in the playoffs because that will be one of the keys to a successful playoff run. That means that while the current injuries allow for plenty of time to play out, adding more, or more severe, injuries can make things challenging for the Astros in the rest of the season.
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The Astros returned from the All-Star break facing two pivotal turning points: a season-defining road series in Seattle and an increasingly hard-to-ignore situation at first base. And while their draft-day gamble on high school slugger Xavier Neyens speaks to long-term optimism, the questions swirling around Christian Walker feel far more immediate.
Houston’s decision to select Neyens 21st overall was a surprise to some, not because of his talent, but because of the organization's pressing need for bats in the upper minors. Still, those inside the draft room saw too much upside to pass on.
Considering the Astros reluctance to sign players long-term, he might be the Jeremy Peña or Isaac Paredes replacement down the road if Cam Smith stays in right field. The bat speed is elite, and the belief is he’ll grow into real power.
Neyens, a 6-foot-4 shortstop projected to possibly shift to third base, may someday be a middle-of-the-lineup anchor. But in the near term, it’s Houston’s lack of middle-of-the-lineup production at first base that casts a shadow over their playoff push.
Walker, acquired in hopes of stabilizing the position after José Abreu’s departure, has not delivered. He’s hitting .229 with a .660 OPS and has already been dropped to seventh in the lineup. With the Astros quietly monitoring alternatives, Jon Singleton, yes, that Jon Singleton, has reemerged as a name worth watching. The left-handed slugger has already hit four homers in 16 games for Sugar Land, posting an .850 OPS. That’s not nothing, even if his career numbers don’t scream long-term fix. In a more typical scenario, the Astros could implement a platoon at first base. But Walker is actually hitting worse against left-handed pitching (.180).
Unless Singleton forces their hand by continuing to look like Babe Ruth in Sugar Land, they’ll likely keep riding with Walker. But the leash is shorter than it was.
The Astros cut ties with Abreu just 1.5 seasons into a 3-year contract. A similar timeline isn’t out of the question for Walker if things don’t turn around. Especially with free agency and trade deadlines presenting chances for Dana Brown to build in contingency plans.
In the meantime, Houston’s most important series of the season so far gets underway this Friday in Seattle, where the Mariners enter just five games back after bludgeoning the Tigers heading into the break. The Astros’ lead, once seven games, feels less secure with Yordan Alvarez, Peña, and Jake Meyers all still sidelined.
The good news: the Astros lead MLB in strikeouts and WHIP, and are TOP 5 in ERA. Their OPS over the past month is second in the league. The concern: Hunter Brown has been shaky in back-to-back starts, and the back of the rotation is a patchwork of question marks.
The Astros apparently have similar concerns about Brown, opting to give him more rest coming out of the All-Star break. He won't be pitching against the Mariners. MLB.com's Brian McTaggart is reporting that the Astros will start Brandon Walter on Friday, Lance McCullers on Saturday, and Framber Valdez on Sunday.
Astros rotation against Seattle:
Friday: LHP Brandon Walter (1-2, 3.98)
Saturday: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (2-4, 6.48)
Sunday: LHP Framber Valdez (10-4, 2.75)
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) July 17, 2025
Big picture
A sweep in either direction would shift the momentum dramatically. But even a closely contested series could reveal more about where this roster stands, and whether first base remains a tolerated flaw or becomes an active problem.
For now, the Astros are winning enough to keep the conversation quiet. But the noise is building. And if Walker can’t find another gear soon, first base might again become a defining storyline for a team trying to hold off a charge in the West.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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