BRING ON THE YANKEES!
5 key factors that could determine outcome of Astros-Yankees series
Jun 23, 2022, 11:27 am
The Astros head to New York to face the Yankees. Composite image by Jack Brame.
After sweeping the Mets in a two-game series at Minute Maid Park, the Astros will head to the Big Apple to square off against the Yankees in what will be the most anticipated matchup of the season thus far.
Both Houston (43-25) and New York (50-18) have been the top two teams in the American League since May 11 and will play the first of a four-game series starting on Thursday.
If the Astros want to prove they are the best team in baseball, their elite players need to showcase their skills and win on the biggest stage in the biggest city.
1. Altuve must silence the crowd again
Last season, the Astros only managed to win one game in The Bronx thanks to some late inning heroics from New York “fan favorite” Jose Altuve who powered a game-winning home run to silence the relentless crowd.
It’s not a stretch to say Altuve might be the most hated baseball player in New York, but that doesn’t seem to affect him.
Although Yankee elites will continue to spew their venom towards the 2017 A.L. MVP, his ability to shut out the noise and perform at the plate under these circumstances will be one of the Astros' best assets during the series.
Throughout his career, Altuve has consistently been able to drive a stake into the heart of Yankee fans time after time.
The All-Star second baseman is currently hitting .269 and has no fear of taking on the Yankees in New York.
2. Bregman’s bat stays hot
Similarly to Altuve, Alex Bregman is no stranger to the boo birds, and doesn’t seem too affected by the harassment. So playing in front of the relentless crowd at Yankee Stadium won’t be a problem for him either.
Sure, it’s no secret that the former All-Star isn’t having a great season so far, but things seem to be turning around as Bregman has a .292 batting average with two home runs and four RBI over his last seven games.
It was only a matter of time before the former 1st round pick would start to figure things out at the plate.
This Astros' lineup is already potent as it stands, but when Bregman returns to form, more than the Yankees should be concerned when facing Houston.
3. Air Yordan takes flight in the Big Apple
Yordan Alvarez is having a tremendous season, and has been on a tear as of late.
Since signing his six-year extension on June 6, the 24-year-old is hitting .429 with five home runs, 17 RBI and a 1.347 OPS.
Alvarez is on pace to earn the American League Player of the Month for June and doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.
The last time the Cuban native went to Yankee Stadium, he hit two homers off of former Astros’ pitcher Gerrit Cole, and looks forward to returning to the Big Apple.
"Whenever a player goes to New York and plays there, it's just really exciting with the history of that team and the ballpark," Álvarez said through a translator. "We know they're a really good team so we're just going to compete and try to win."
Alvarez will certainly be looking forward to hitting bombs towards the infamously short right field porch at Yankee Stadium.
4. The pitching staff stays strong
The Astros are scheduled to have Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander, Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy take the mound this series and all of them have some varying degree of previous success against the Yankees.
Justin Verlander (albeit more in the postseason) has had multiple dominating performances against the Bronx Bombers and will take the mound on Friday against Luis Severio in what should be an elite pitcher's duel.
The other three aforementioned starters will look to continue their impressive season thus far as well.
If the Astros' starting pitchers can continue to keep them in games like they have all season, there is no reason Houston won’t be ready to face whatever the Yankees throw at them.
5. One bonus note
Astros’ shortstop Jeremy Pena has been on the injured list since June 15 with left thumb discomfort but will be eligible to come off the IL as early as this Friday.
Pena took swings in the batting cage and was spotted fielding ground balls Tuesday and assuming all goes well these next few days, he could rejoin the Astros sometime during the Yankee series
If the 24-year-old rookie does return, it will give Houston one more deadly weapon that the Yankees would rather not face.
Jake Meyers could also make his 2022 season debut as his minor league rehab assignment runs out this week. Other moves would have to be made, but the potential for Meyers to return could bolster this already lethal lineup.
Pena and Meyers may not come back in time for the Yankee series, but if they do, the Astros may have the best lineup in the league.
Watch out New York, Houston is coming.
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Former major-leaguers are rising to prominent front office roles throughout MLB. Composite Getty Image.
Shortly after his playing career ended, Jerry Dipoto took in a game at Wrigley Field with former big league manager Jim Fregosi. After a particularly nasty strikeout by Eric Gagne, Dipoto laughed.
Fregosi promptly slapped Dipoto on the back of his head.
“He said, ‘I’m just going to remind you today. ... Don’t ever forget how hard that it is to play,’” Dipoto recalled. “And that’s what I think is the thing I remember most, and I think the benefit of the guys who have gone through it, is that they recognize that it is a really hard game.”
That lesson stayed with Dipoto as he made his way to his current job with the Seattle Mariners — and membership in an exclusive club. Dipoto is one of five former major leaguers serving as the top baseball executive for a big league franchise at the moment.
Dipoto, 56, has been the president of baseball operations for Seattle since Sept. 1, 2021. Like Dipoto, Chris Young, 45, was promoted from general manager to president of baseball operations for the Texas Rangers on Sept. 13. Craig Breslow was hired as the chief baseball officer for the Boston Red Sox on Oct. 25, 2023, and Chris Getz was promoted to GM of the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 31, 2023.
Buster Posey, 37, joined the list when the former All-Star catcher was hired as president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants in September.
“There are a ton of incredibly successful executives who didn’t play baseball,” said Breslow, 44. “I don’t think it’s a prerequisite, but I do think it provides a level of credibility and empathy given I’ve kind of been on every side of a transaction, or every side of a conversation I’ve had to have with a player or coach. And credibility in terms of really being able to understand what players are thinking about, what they’re going through.”
Under Breslow's leadership, Boston used a complicated contract structure to add Alex Bregman in free agency. Bregman also was being pursued by the Cubs and Tigers before he agreed to a $120 million, three-year deal with the Red Sox.
San Francisco had been struggling to land a major free agent before shortstop Willy Adames agreed to a $182 million, seven-year contract with the Giants in December. Adames said Posey played a major role in his decision.
“My meeting with the team, it was me and him, basically. No agent. Nobody,” Adames said. “So we had a really, really good conversation, and I bought into his plan for this organization, for what he wants to build here in the near future.”
Breslow has a degree from Yale and Young graduated from Princeton, so the five players in charge of major league teams doesn't exactly represent some sort of counterrevolution when it comes to Ivy League grads in baseball.
But today's major-leaguers are increasingly savvy when it comes to the business side of the game, and they have firsthand experience with the data used by front offices as part of their decision-making process.
“Where we were a decade ago to where we are now, there's just so much opportunity to make better decisions nowadays based on the information that we have,” said Getz, 41. “But being well-versed in it now, you know having a former playing background is only going to position you, your résumé is just stronger.”
While that big league career is an asset in a variety of ways, it also creates a unique set of blind spots. Building out a front office that complements one another is key, Dipoto said.
“I learned to adapt along the way to things I didn’t know and to trust people who are smarter than I am to fill in those gaps,” he said, “and to recognize when I’m allowing my want to be a good teammate and my want to love the good teammate, sometimes, you have be able to discern when that doesn’t equal best player fit for this situation.”
There are several more people in position to join the club one day. Brandon Gomes helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series last year, serving as the team's GM under Andrew Friedman. Ryan Garko was promoted to assistant GM with the Detroit Tigers in May. Cole Figueroa is an assistant GM for the Rangers.
Kevin Reese and Tim Naehring work for longtime New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, and Josh Barfield is part of Getz's front office with the White Sox.
When it comes to his discussions with players interested in working in baseball operations, Breslow said the conversations provide an indication of the potential for success.
“It becomes pretty clear, generally who has the curiosity, who asks a lot of questions,” he said. "Who wants to learn why we make decisions not just what decisions are being made. Those are the people (that could make the transition).”