The Astros got a little revenge on the Red Sox this week, taking the series after Boston swept them at the start of August. Hunter Brown delivered exactly what Houston needed — a dominant start that saw him hold Boston to one run over 6.2 innings. Yainer Díaz stayed hot, launching a two-run homer that gave the pitching staff some breathing room and tilted the game in Houston’s favor. Even with Carlos Correa getting the day off on Wednesday, the Astros still secured the series win, and he’ll get the benefit of Thursday’s off day as well.

The series also gave us our first look at Houston’s bullpen without Josh Hader, who’s on the shelf with a shoulder strain. Bennett Sousa stepped up, keeping the lead intact so Bryan Abreu could slam the door in the ninth. Espada hasn’t officially called Abreu the closer, which signals the Astros may be going matchup-first with Hader out. That said, the bullpen as a whole took a hit in the series, allowing 11 runs — nine of them from regular bullpen arms in Game 2. Even Hector Neris, who was just released, might be looking at the box scores, thinking he wasn't that bad.

Health remains the other big piece to the Astros’ postseason picture. Spencer Arrighetti and Cristian Javier are both back in the rotation, with Javier impressing in his first start back from Tommy John. Luis Garcia is close behind, showing more velocity in his rehab outings for Sugar Land. It appears he's close to returning.

Jake Meyers is working his way back from a calf injury in Florida, but the big question is Yordan Alvarez. He’s set to take live BP soon, and this time the hope is that he avoids any discomfort that might set him back again.

Now comes the chance to create some breathing room in the AL West. The schedule ahead — Orioles, Tigers, Orioles again, Rockies, Angels — offers only one truly tough matchup in that stretch. On paper, it’s an ideal runway to put some distance between themselves and the Mariners. Sure, the A’s sweep earlier this season proves nothing is automatic, but this is a different Astros team than the one that stumbled back then. Since being swept by Boston, they’ve reeled off three straight series wins over the Marlins, Yankees, and Red Sox. Correa’s return hasn’t just been a nostalgia play — he’s producing at an elite level, taking pressure off guys like Christian Walker and Yainer Díaz, and setting a tone that’s carried through the lineup. If the chemistry keeps building, this soft stretch could be the spark that shapes their September push.

There's so much more to get to! 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 on Thursday!

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