MAKING MOVES
The Astros get better by signing quality reliever Smith
Dec 14, 2017, 7:14 am
Joe Smith should be an upgrade over Luke Gregerson. Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images
The MLB winter meetings are in full swing, and yesterday brought some good news for Astros fans. The team went out and did exactly what they needed to do, they got better in the bullpen. They signed free agent Joe Smith to a two-year deal.
The 33 year-old right-hander has bounced around a bit in the majors but he's been consistently good (not great, but very good) for his career. In 10 seasons he has a career 2.97 era, a solid 1.185 WHIP, is striking out 7.9 batters per 9 innings. Last year between Toronto and Cleveland he put up a 3.33 era and a 1.037 whip. He's a side-arm pitcher that can be down right filthy versus right handed batters.
But let's be clear, Joe Smith isn't a closer. There was a year where he picked up 15 saves, but that's not his role, and never really has been. He's a quality arm that provides depth to a bullpen that badly needed it. He will most likely be the 7th or 8th inning guy. He's also know as a very good high leverage arm, so you might see him a bit earlier if there is more on the line in game situations..
So are the Astros really better because of this?
You bet. When you think about it in terms of arms in the pen, the Astros swapped out Luke Gregerson (signed with the Cardinals) for Smith. It's crazy (and exciting) to think that the team that won the World Series last year just got a little bit better.
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Jose Altuve powers Astros past Tigers with two-run homer
Apr 28, 2025, 10:25 pm
Through the first month of the season, the Houston Astros' offensive struggles are becoming impossible to ignore — especially when compared to division rivals like the Seattle Mariners.
Isaac Paredes currently leads the Astros with a .392 slugging percentage, which ranks just 88th overall in Major League Baseball. Jeremy Peña isn't far behind, sitting 93rd at .388. For context, not one Astro has cracked the .400 slugging mark, while the Mariners boast four players who have — though a few haven’t officially qualified for leaderboards.
Power outage
The power disparity is stark. The Mariners have already blasted 42 home runs this season — double the Astros’ total of just 21. Houston, in fact, ranks 27th in home runs, 26th in OPS, and 26th in slugging across all of Major League Baseball, dead last among AL West teams. Paredes is the only Astro with at least four home runs, while the Mariners have six such players.
The lineup issues are even deeper. Christian Walker and Yainer Diaz — both expected to provide significant offensive contributions — are batting under .200, placing them among the 22 worst averages in the league. Jose Altuve, typically a steady force, is also underperforming by his standards. His .310 on-base percentage is his lowest since the shortened COVID season, and he has only managed five extra-base hits thus far.
Should Joe Espada consider playing Altuve at second base more often?
With second base production sagging — Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers have failed to provide much punch — the Astros could face a difficult decision: increase Altuve’s time at second to open up opportunities for bats like Chas McCormick or Zach Dezenzo. While the organization has preferred to manage Altuve’s workload at second base carefully, their hand may be forced if the offense continues to sputter. At this point, another month of this and all bets are off.
On the pitching side, there’s some potential good news. Lance McCullers Jr. is nearing a return after an impressive rehab start and could rejoin the team during their series in Chicago. Meanwhile, Forrest Whitley has suffered another setback with a knee injury. A major question for Houston is which of the two — McCullers or Whitley — will be able to make a real impact this season. Given Whitley's struggles to stay healthy, McCullers appears the safer bet.
Don't forget the Astros' biggest goal for this season
Behind the scenes, the Astros’ front office remains focused on a bigger-picture goal: getting under the luxury tax threshold. With several large contracts set to come off the books after the season, Houston appears committed to resetting financially — even if that means enduring some growing pains in the short term.
For now, though, the Astros find themselves in unfamiliar territory: chasing the division both in the standings and at the plate.
We have so much more to discuss. 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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