How future for Houston Astros rookie catcher could look a lot different

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Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker caught a lot of people by surprise this week when he defended his decision to hold back Yainer Diaz's playing time, despite him being one of the best hitters on the team.

Baker basically said everyone would eventually thank him for how he's easing him into the Astros everyday lineup. One of the reasons he gave for how he's handling Diaz was him being a rookie, and you can't just insert a first-year player on a full-time basis and expect things to go well. He even used a football analogy to make his case.

Funny, they started rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena from jump street last year, and he found himself leading his team to a championship title and was MVP of the ALCS and the World Series.

No wonder Astros fans are pulling their hair out.

But one thing is for sure, Houston needs what Yainer brings to the table. His power bat is far too important to be out of the lineup in the middle of a close division race.

The compromise should be simple, keep using Diaz at first base on a part-time basis, and play him at catcher and DH when Jose Abreu is starting at first.

We mentioned that Dusty said we'll eventually thank him for his patience with Diaz. But will owner Jim Crane thank him for running his 36-year-old first baseman (with back problems) into the ground? With 2 years left on his bloated contract, he shouldn't be playing every day.

Finally, is Yainer Diaz really the catcher of the future?

If Jose Abreu can turn things around and be an average option at first base for the next couple of years, sure. But what if we're a third of the way through next season, and he's still one of the 10 worst hitters in baseball? You can't let a bad contract beat you twice.

If that's the case, the best plan of action could be to make Yainer the everyday starter at first, and let whoever the backup catcher is in 2024 step into a starter's role. They're going to have to sign a catcher anyway, with Martin Maldonado a declining free agent that will turn 38 next season.

Clearly, the Astros don't have a quality first basemen in the farm system, or he would have been on the team while Abreu was hurt. Unfortunately, Jon Singleton just doesn't look like a big league hitter.

By inserting Diaz at first base, you could save his legs and get more out of him over the course of his career. The Astros did something similar with Craig Biggio, and that seemed to work out just fine.

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The Astros beat the Brewers, 9-1. Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images.

Framber Valdez pitched seven strong innings and Jeremy Peña homered and drove in four runs as the Houston Astros defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 9-1 on Wednesday.

Houston earned just its second victory in seven games to snap Milwaukee’s three-game winning streak and leave both teams with .500 records. The Brewers were attempting to sweep a series from the Astros for the first time since 2012.

The Astros led 3-1 before Peña broke the game open by delivering a three-run homer to left off reliever Elvin Rodriguez with two outs in the sixth inning.

Valdez (2-4) struck out seven while allowing three hits, two walks and one run to earn his first win since the Astros’ March 27 season opener. He threw a season-high 101 pitches.

Milwaukee’s only run off Valdez came on Eric Haase’s fifth-inning homer, a 425-foot drive to center.

The Astros took a 1-0 lead off Quinn Priester (1-1) in the second inning as Jake Meyers hit a two-out single and scored on Zach Dezenzo’s double.

The Brewers have lost all 13 games this season in which their opponent scored first.

Five-time All-Star closer Josh Hader worked the ninth while pitching in Milwaukee for the first time since the Brewers traded him in 2022.

Key moment

The Astros led 1-0 and had runners on third and second with one out in the fifth when Peña hit a bouncer to third.

The throw home beat Dezenzo to the plate. Home plate umpire Chris Conroy initially ruled Dezenzo out, but the Astros challenged the call and replays showed the runner slid home ahead of Haase’s tag.

Key stat

Valdez has now pitched at least seven innings an MLB-leading 57 times since 2020.

Up next

The Astros host the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. Scheduled pitchers are right-hander Hunter Brown (5-1, 1.67) for the Astros and right-hander Nick Martinez (1-3, 4.19) for the Reds.

The Brewers visit the Tampa Bay Ray on Friday. Left-hander José Quintana (4-1, 2.83) will pitch for the Brewers.

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