THAT'S BOLD
Astros unthinkable circumstances, unlikely hypothetical, and one hilarious answer
Apr 27, 2023, 5:21 pm
Hunter Brown looks like the real deal. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
Let’s say you’re the general manager of the Houston Astros, and by general manager I mean owner Jim Crane. It’s the New York Mets calling.
“Hear us out, what do you say to a trade – we want Hunter Brown and we’ll give you back Justin Verlander, plus we’ll pay most of Verlander’s salary for this year and next. Waddya say?”
Crane would say, “Waddya nuts? Heck no! JV is all yours. We’ll see you in the World Series … if you make it that far.”
Wednesday night Brown threw a modern day masterpiece – seven innings, two hits, eight strikeouts and no runs – against (for the time being) the best hitting team with the best record in all of baseball. It was the third time this season that the rookie righty has gone seven innings – one of only two pitchers in the bigs to do so (the other is Astros teammate Framber Valdez).
The Astros won Wednesday night’s game 1-0, their second consecutive shutout of the Tampa Bay Rays, who had set all sorts of hitting records for the start of a season and were undefeated at home until the Astros rolled into town.
Brown is 3-0 with an earned run average of 2.37. Verlander? He’s been on the injured list all season. When will he take the mound for the Mets? He gave another clubhouse interview Wednesday and repeated his mantra, “I’m close.”
You know what else is close? The month of May.
Verlander is 40 years old and with a medical rap sheet that typically strikes pitchers his age. He missed almost all of 2000, then all of 2001 and part of 2022 with injuries. And he’s started 2023 on the injured list.
Verlander makes $43 million this year.
Hunter Brown makes $750,000 this year.
I don’t believe salary should enter the debate of “who’s better?” It’s not our money, at least not directly, until teams raise ticket prices. But the difference between Brown and Verlander’s paychecks is noteworthy.
While Mets owner Steve Cohen has a bottomless bank account, he’s paying an aging pitcher with recent injury history who limped to the finish line last year.
You don’t need to go on Antiques Roadshow to know that Verlander is not worth 57 times (!) more than Brown this season.
Brown has more wins than Verlander (no wins) and the Mets other $43 million pitcher Max Scherzer (two wins and currently suspended) combined.
I know it’s early, the season has miles to go, but 25 games in a decent sample. The Astros are 14-11 and breathing down the necks of the American League West-leading Rangers at 14-10.
With all the buzz over the NFL draft, the Rockets hiring a new coach, the NBA playoffs and the Roughnecks going for the XFL title, the Astros have quietly and confidently rebounded from a disappointing start of the 2023 season, when they lost games they should have won against beatable opponents like the White Sox, Tigers and, we thought, the Rangers.
But the past 10 days, the Astros have dominated the Blue Jays, swept the National League’s best Braves and silenced the Rays. The Astros are back, baby. There is no doubt who’s the face that runs the place now. It’s the World Series defending champion Houston Astros.
And all this with Jose Altuve, Michael Brantley, Chas McCormick and Lance McCullers out with injuries. Altuve will be back in a month or so. Brantley is already on rehab assignment in Sugar Land, McCormick is taking batting practice and McCullers, well, Magic 8 Ball says “reply hazy, try again.”
Fun fact: it is against TSA rules to bring a Magic 8 ball on an airplane. That’s because it’s filled with liquid. Snow globes also are not permitted in carry-on bags. Both are allowed in checked bags, however.
Next up for the Astros are series against the sputtering Phillies, Giants, Mariners, Angels, White Sox, Cubs, A’s and Twins - all winnable opportunities. That will take the Astros into June when the dust will be settled, the lineup will be at full strength and fans can start thinking post-season and gambling whether to buy a Temper-Pedic mattress.
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After dropping a frustrating series to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros find themselves in a familiar position—searching for answers, but still within striking distance. Despite their inconsistency, Houston sits just three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners, who are currently 7 games over .500 and riding an 8-2 stretch. For as up-and-down as the Astros have been, the division remains tantalizingly close.
That inconsistency was on full display throughout the White Sox series. Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo each played the roles of both hero and heartbreaker. Dezenzo launched a massive home run in Game 3, a moment that energized the dugout and briefly shifted momentum. But his costly defensive error later in the game flipped the script. Meyers was a spark plug in Houston’s lone win, delivering a clutch performance at the plate, only to run the team out of a rally in the finale when he was picked off second—right before Jeremy Peña ripped what would have been an RBI single.
Jose Altuve’s struggles are quietly becoming more worrisome. He’s recorded just one multi-hit game since April 19 and has only one homer since April 8. On Sunday, he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had grinded through a 33-pitch inning—a decision that raised questions about his awareness in a veteran moment. Should manager Joe Espada have reminded Altuve of the situation? Or is this on Altuve, who should have known what to do as one of the team leaders?
Signs of life
There are flickers of life from the bats. Last week, Houston's team OPS was an underwhelming .667 (23rd in MLB), with a slugging percentage of .357 (25th). They've nudged those numbers up to .684 (19th) and .370 (21st), respectively. It’s modest progress, but enough to suggest this offense might be trending in the right direction. Still, their 5-5 record over the last 10 games feels emblematic of who they are right now—a .500 team with both talent and flaws.
Looking ahead
The upcoming schedule could be a turning point. Three of the next five opponents have losing records, and none of them are elite. This stretch offers a prime opportunity for Houston to finally build momentum and close the gap in the division—assuming the Mariners cool off from their current tear, which seems inevitable given their unsustainable 8-2 pace.
McCullers is officially back!
Lance McCullers returned for the first time since 2022 and, despite being limited to 3.2 innings due to command issues (three walks and a hit batter), there were encouraging signs. His velocity was there, and the stuff looked sharp. It’s a start, and perhaps a step toward stabilizing a rotation that still needs length.
Steering the ship
Manager Joe Espada, however, continues to draw scrutiny. His decision-making in the finale raised eyebrows again. Giving Isaac Paredes a day off when Yordan Alvarez was already sitting left the lineup depleted. Rather than using promising young infielder/outfielder Cam Smith, he opted for Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers—a defensive combo that didn't inspire confidence. It feels at times like Espada isn’t prioritizing winning the final game of a series, a pattern that could haunt the team down the stretch.
The plot thickens
Meanwhile, Christian Walker’s slump is dragging on. He went 0-for-5 twice in the last two series and looks out of sync at the plate. The Astros need more from their power hitters if they hope to make a real run. And with Alvarez now heading to the IL with hand inflammation, runs will be even harder to come by.
All told, this team still feels like one hovering just above or below .500. But in a division that remains wide open, the path forward is clear: play better, hope the Mariners come back to earth, and capitalize on a soft schedule. The race is far from over—but it’s time for Houston to start acting like contenders.
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!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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