How Dusty Baker’s puzzling decisions could be forcing Astros hand

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For many Astros fans, it's been a frustrating season watching Dusty Baker limit opportunities for some of his best players. Of course, we're talking about Chas McCormick and Yainer Diaz.

Things really escalated over the weekend when the Astros were swept by the Yankees, with Chas McCormick only starting one of the three games. And in the one game he started, Dusty Baker pinch-hit for him with Jon Singleton in the ninth inning of a one run game. Spoiler alert: Singleton struck out looking.

The following game, Dusty started Yainer and Chas against the Rangers and lo and behold, Houston won in a blowout. But don't think for a second that Maldonado won't be back in the lineup on Tuesday, with Framber taking the hill. (Notice below that Yainer is not in Tuesday's lineup).

And it seems the only days Michael Brantley is in the lineup, McCormick has to sit. Dusty doesn't seem to trust Chas in center field anymore. Chas has only started in center field in one out of the last five games.

To be fair, we've seen Dusty change the way he manages when the playoffs start, but this season is different. If the Astros wait for Dusty to start playing McCormick and Diaz regularly in the playoffs, they may not get in. The division is way too close this season to be messing around with playing time.

With that in mind, could we see owner Jim Crane or GM Dana Brown get involved in Baker's perplexing lineup decisions?

Be sure to watch the video above as the guys break it all down.

Listen to The Bench with John Granato and Lance Zierlein weekday mornings on ESPN 97.5 and 92.5 FM.

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It's time to seriously question the Astros' front office. Photos via Getty Images, ESPN IG.

The Astros have officially entered a new era, but it’s hard to spin Alex Bregman’s exit as anything but a gut punch. Bregman, a cornerstone of Houston’s championship core, is gone — and the Astros' strategy (or lack thereof) is front and center. The questions are mounting fast, and the answers don’t inspire confidence.

Let’s be clear: This isn’t about refusing to pay players. It’s about how the Astros are willing to pay them. Jim Crane’s approach has become increasingly rigid — no deals with high annual values and opt-outs, but also no long-term contracts for $160+ million. Essentially, Crane is looking for a Goldilocks zone in modern baseball that no longer exists. Good luck winning another World Series with that strategy and a depleted farm system.

If Crane’s blueprint is to focus on cheap positions (first base, closer) or short-term deals with aging veterans past their prime, this team could be in serious trouble. We’ve seen it before with Correa. He could’ve been retained on a shorter-term contract (3-years, $105 million), but Crane’s pride — and his refusal to engage with Scott Boras on deals that include opt-outs — kept the Astros out of the conversation.

Dana Brown publicly called Bregman a top priority. Clearly, that wasn’t true for Crane. Brown’s reaction to the Bregman news felt more like a man at a funeral than an optimistic GM on the opening day of spring training for pitchers and catchers. He wouldn’t even comment on the deal.

Crane’s strategy already backfiring

The Astros locked up Rafael Montero and José Abreu to questionable contracts that now feel like self-inflicted wounds. Would Crane have let Bregman walk if not for those deals? If that’s the case, Houston just sacrificed its long-term core for short-term bets that didn't pay off.

And get ready — Framber Valdez is probably next. When his contract comes up, don’t expect him to stick around.

Leadership void

Losing Bregman isn’t just about stats. It’s about leadership, swagger, and presence. Players like Jeremy Peña, Chas McCormick, and Isaac Paredes aren’t exactly striking fear into opponents. Correa, Bregman, and Kyle Tucker? Entirely different story.

A missed opportunity

Imagine choosing between Josh Hader’s deal (5-years, $95 million) or what Bregman just signed for (3-years, $120 million). I would take Bregman all day. When Hader signed last season, we were fine with it as long as it didn't preclude the club from trying to extend Bregman and/or Tucker.

But here we are one year later with Tucker, Bregman, and Ryan Pressly playing for new teams. And Pressly was better than Hader in 2024 despite dealing with a role change.

For now, the most exciting things about the 2025 Astros are the short porch in left field — which might make Paredes look good again — and the weak AL West.

So, get your season tickets now!

This is one video you don't want to miss as the crew from Stone Cold 'Stros examines all the ramifications from Alex Bregman's Astros departure, and much more!

Spring training is up and running. 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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