How Astros' season could now hinge on most unlikely of x-factors
STONE COLD 'STROS
04 August
The Astros open a 3-game series with Miami on Monday night. Composite Getty Image.
The return of Carlos Correa was supposed to energize the Houston Astros, but their weekend trip to Fenway Park told a different story.
Despite getting Correa back into the lineup alongside Jeremy Peña, the Astros offense sputtered through a sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox. Houston scored just one run in two of the three games, continuing a troubling trend of inconsistency. Five of their last eight series have ended in a sweep — some in their favor, others not — underscoring the volatility that has defined much of their season.
One of the bigger culprits? A swing-first mentality that isn't paying off.
Since Isaac Paredes went down, manager Joe Espada’s lineup has reverted to its more aggressive roots. Jose Altuve, who recently notched a four-hit game, credited that performance to getting better pitches. But that approach has come with diminishing returns. Altuve and others are swinging early and often, but with little to show for it lately, a strategy that’s only exacerbating Houston’s offensive inconsistency.
If the bats aren’t going to carry them, pitching needs to step up and soon.
Astros x-factors
There’s some good news on that front. Spencer Arrighetti is slated to return during the Marlins series, likely in Game 2 or 3.
Spencer Arrighetti will pitch one of these two games, Joe Espada confirmed. TBD on which one. https://t.co/0uhkseIwdG
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) August 3, 2025
Cristian Javier is expected to need one more rehab outing before he’s ready to rejoin the rotation. Their returns couldn’t come at a better time.
With the offense struggling (Houston ranks 20th in runs scored over the last week and 29th in slugging since July 7) the Astros simply can't afford to keep patching together starts with depleted depth. Brandon Walter is dealing with an elbow issue, Lance McCullers Jr. remains sidelined with blisters, and Colton Gordon has faltered in recent outings.
Houston has done its best to tread water, but it’s clear that the current rotation mix isn’t sustainable. The Astros need Arrighetti and Javier to not just return, they need them to perform like legitimate big-league starters. Otherwise, a team built for another postseason run may find itself struggling just to stay afloat.
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José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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