How critical Houston Astros learning moment can help them right now
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15 August 2023
The Houston Astros had some big decisions to make last offseason after securing another World Series championship. The team had parted ways with general manager James Click, leaving no GM in place to handle free agency.
One of the most important calls the front office had to make was how they would handle the future of Yuli Gurriel. Gurriel had a disappointing regular season, but came through big time for Houston in the postseason.
Ultimately, the Astros decided to let Gurriel to walk and opted to hand out a 3-year, $58.5 million contract to White Sox slugger Jose Abreu. Early in the season, many Houston fans pointed to Yuli's production with the Marlins as evidence the Abreu signing was a mistake. Yuli was signed to a one-year deal at $5 million, which was a fraction of the cost of Abreu.
Even though Yuli was outperforming Abreu early on, most believed he would heat up in the summer and justify his massive contract. Well, here we are in the middle of August, and Abreu (currently injured) still hasn't lived up to expectations. Meaning, it's official, the Astros would have been better off holding on to Yuli and allocating Abreu's money to some other free agent options.
While the Astros can't go back in time and undo the deal, perhaps they can learn from the mistake and make the best of the situation going forward. One of the reasons Abreu might be dealing with a lingering back injury could very well be due to Dusty Baker starting the 36-year-old in almost every game.
If Dusty is willing to give Abreu more days off when he returns from the injured list, Jose will likely perform better when he's healthy and rested. Plus, Jon Singleton can add some pop in the lineup while helping to keep Abreu fresh.
Playing Singleton against right-handed pitching and Abreu against left-handed pitching could be a nice plan of action moving forward. However, there is one issue with this idea, Baker may want to play Abreu on a daily basis just so he has Singleton's left-handed bat available to pinch hit late in games.
But is that the right plan of action in the big picture? Be sure to watch the video to find out.
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Astros carved up 2 of the NL’s best, but that’s just part of the story
Jun 30, 2025, 4:53 pm
The Houston Astros closed out a powerful homestand with a statement series win over the Cubs, led by the continued emergence of Cam Smith and the lockdown stuff of Bryan Abreu. Smith, who seems to live for high-leverage moments, went toe-to-toe with Kyle Tucker and delivered again and again, further cementing his place in Houston’s growing offensive core. Meanwhile, Abreu was simply untouchable—striking out all four batters he faced in a lights-out appearance on Thursday and returning Sunday to toss two scoreless innings in front of Josh Hader’s 23rd straight save. The bullpen continues to impress.
As Houston heads west for a six-game road trip, starting with the Rockies and ending with the Dodgers, the rotation will remain under the microscope. On paper, the Rockies series should be a tune-up—Colorado owns the worst record in baseball. But even in a small three-game set, anything can happen. The Dodgers are a different animal entirely. They’ve been the class of the National League and pose a challenge that may mirror what the Astros saw from the Phillies and Cubs—but this time, Houston won’t have the advantage of home field. Considering the team’s elite pitching and recent play, the Astros should still feel confident, but they’ll need to prove they can sustain this level on the road.
Trade speculation is beginning to swirl, particularly around Baltimore’s Cedric Mullins. Mullins hasn’t lit it up this season—he’s hitting just .213—but his 12 home runs suggest some underlying pop. Houston may believe there's untapped potential in his swing that can be unlocked. It's a move that would fit the Astros’ track record: buying low on a talented player and letting their system do the rest.
Speaking of roster decisions, Christian Walker's bat is officially on watch. Despite showing flashes of life earlier this season, Walker hit just .221 in June and has been dropped to seventh in the lineup. Meanwhile, Jon Singleton has been crushing home runs in Sugar Land and waiting patiently for another big-league shot. The organization has to be thinking about giving Singleton a chance if Walker’s struggles continue.
But not every question has an immediate answer. Lance McCullers Jr.’s return from the injured list was rocky at best, surrendering eight runs in a short outing. Still, the reaction from fans calling for his release is premature at best and delusional at worst. Joe Espada left him in too long, and everyone knew it. It's still June, and McCullers is a proven postseason arm. He’s not going anywhere, not with that contract—and frankly, not with the upside he still offers.
More to the story
Then there's Jeremy Peña. The hope was that his sore ribs were nothing serious. That changed after the homestand, when further imaging revealed a small fracture and landed Peña on the 10-day IL. It’s a frustrating development, but credit the Astros’ medical staff for pushing for clarity—learning from the Yordan Alvarez situation this year. With superagent Scott Boras now representing him, it appeared negotiations were over. But Astros GM Dana Brown revealed on the pregame show this weekend that he’s already reached back out to Boras to reopen the conversation. Whether both sides can agree to new terms is a different story.
So while the Astros leave home riding a wave of momentum, the road ahead holds tougher matchups, key roster questions, and new injury concerns. They’ve shown they’re built to weather all of it. Now they’ll have to prove it.
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 now on Thursday.
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