ASTROS REPORT
5 significant reasons the Astros are rolling in the month of August
Aug 16, 2021, 2:34 pm
Yordan Alvarez is off to a great start this month. Composite photo by Brandon Strange.
The Astros finished this week with a 4-1 record and won back-to-back series against the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels.
As it currently stands, Houston remains 2.5 games ahead of the Oakland A's in the American League West standings with 45 remaining contests this season.
During the month of August, the Astros look to pull away in the A.L. West standing and make the postseason for the 5th consecutive year.
Here are some keys as to how they can continue their winning ways.
1). The pitching has improved over the last few games as Houston only allowed a total of seven runs over their last 5 games. According to MLB.com, the Astros rank fourth in the league in ERA at 3.62 and their rotation is starting to shape up as the playoffs are approaching. This past week, the entire rotation threw at least five innings and one of them made a little history.
Pitcher Zach Greinke (11-3) tied Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez and with his 219th win against the Angels on Saturday.
Greinke and Lance McCullers continue to dominate on the road with a combined record of 13-1 this season. The two pitchers look to be the anchors of this rotation throughout the season and into the postseason as well.
2). Welcome back to the Astros Aledmys Diaz. Since his return from the injured list on July 27th, Diaz has increased his batting average from .283 to .301, and is hitting a solid .306 in the month of August.
His return to the team gave Houston some much-needed production at third base and at the plate. He is doing a great job holding the fort down until Alex Bregman eventually returns. (More on that later.)
3). Yordan Alvarez is having himself a fantastic month of August as well. The designated hitter/outfielder has a line of .356 AVG, .396 OBP, .689 SLG this month. He is coming off back to back multi-hit games against the Angles and looks to continue his hot hitting as September approaches.
4). Jake Myers made a name for himself in a big way Saturday night against the Angels. The rookie outfielder hit the first two home runs of his career, including a grand slam. He is the first Astros player to hit his first two career home runs in the same game since Lance Berkman did it in 1999.
Kyle Tucker, who also hit a grand slam Friday night against the Angels, was placed on the injured list for health and safety protocols. Thus, putting Meyers in right field. The team doesn't expect Tucker to return for at least a week.
Meyers has a .278 batting average to start his MLB career and will receive a good opportunity to prove he can be a productive player during Tucker's absence.
5). Houston was able to get two players off the injured list this week in Yuli Gurriel and Pedro Baez.
Gurriel missed only a handful of games with a sore neck and was back in the Astros lineup Saturday against the Angels. His neck injury was nothing serious, and the 37-year-old most likely needed a few days off to rest.
Baez made his debut for the Astros on Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies. He threw one inning in a relief appearance and struck out one batter.
The pitcher signed with the Astros back in January for a three-year deal and looked to become a key piece in the back end of the bullpen. With the addition of Kendall Graveman and the stellar play of All-Star closer Ryan Presley, this doesn't look to be the case this season. But having Baez in the bullpen does give manger Dusty Baker one more arm to use, and it's never a bad thing to have too much pitching, as the Astros have found out this year.
Finally, Alex Bregman told reporters on Wednesday that he is progressing during his rehab assignment, although it's taking longer than expected.
"I wish I could have two months ago been like, 'This is the day I'm going to be back playing,'" he said. "But it's just not the case with these types of injuries. Getting really close. I feel like everything is going in the right direction and continuing to improve."
Bregman has been out since June 16th, and the Astros hope to get him back sometime in September.
UP NEXT: Jake Odorizzi takes the mound Monday night as Houston opens a four-game series in Kansas City before coming home to take on the Seattle Mariners in a three-game series.
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The Astros closed out their latest road trip with a winning record, a feat made more impressive considering the turbulence at the back of the rotation. Brandon Walter and Ryan Gusto both endured rough outings, with Walter in particular getting tagged hard. Still, Houston salvaged the finale, thanks largely to Mauricio Dubón’s breakout performance. The utilityman launched two home runs to power an offense that’s quietly been heating up for weeks.
But even with a solid finish, not everything is trending upward.
Josh Hader, who’s been one of the game’s most reliable closers this season, has begun to show signs of vulnerability. He’s allowed a home run in three of his last six outings. While his overall numbers remain strong, the long ball—a problem that plagued him last year—is starting to creep back into the picture.
As the Astros return home, the schedule offers no breather. They’ll face the Phillies and Cubs before a brief trip to Colorado to take on the struggling Rockies. After that comes a marquee series against the defending champion Dodgers in Los Angeles. With three of their next four opponents being legitimate World Series threats, the coming stretch looms large.
Can the bats keep pace?
If the last month is any indication, the Astros have reason to feel optimistic. Christian Walker has started to show signs of life after a quiet start to the season, hitting .260 with a .762 OPS and five home runs over the past 30 days. José Altuve has been scorching with a .302 average and .901 OPS in that span, while Jeremy Peña has taken things to another level, batting .384 with a 1.009 OPS.
As a team, the Astros rank 7th in OPS, 5th in runs, 3rd in batting average, and 7th in home runs over the last 30 days. It’s a surge that’s come at the right time—and one they’ll need to sustain.
The injury picture is also starting to shift in Houston’s favor.
Cristian Javier threw a 20-pitch live BP today in West Palm Beach. According to Joe Espada, he was up to 95 mph.
Luis Garcia should throw a live BP next week.
Spencer Arrighetti is still not throwing off a mound yet.
Yordan Alvarez has not resumed hitting.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 20, 2025
Joe Espada told The Athletic's Chandler Rome that Christian Javier recently threw a live batting practice session, touching 95 mph as he continues his return from Tommy John surgery. JP France has thrown multiple live BPs and could be ready to help if things continue to progress with his shoulder. Luis Garcia, however, remains further away despite undergoing surgery more than two years ago. He's expected to throw a live BP this week.
Spencer Arrighetti (thumb) should be able to return in August, and Lance McCullers has resumed throwing and is currently on the 15-day IL with a foot sprain.
The Astros are winning. The offense is rolling. The reinforcements are on the way. But with a brutal stretch looming, the team’s margin for error is about to be put to the test.
There's so much more to cover! 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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