How latest eye-opening Astros report hints at something special brewing
STONE COLD 'STROS
14 February 2024
With the Astros arriving at spring training, fans are starting to get hyped for the upcoming season and the Opening Day matchup against the Yankees.
In fact, fans are so excited this season that Bob Nightengale is reporting the Astros have already hit a franchise-record for ticket sales (22,000).
Pretty incredible to think there's more anticipation for this season than last year, when the club was coming off a World Series win.
Which got us thinking, why is that?
Some fans may see this year as a last hurrah, with Alex Bregman likely to leave in free agency. Not to mention Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, and Justin Verlander could be gone the following year.
Which also means this could be the Astros best chance to seal their dynasty with a third championship.
Another reason fans may not have been as excited for the 2023 season could have to do with the revenge tour the Astros were on to win another championship after their 2017 title was called into question. The Astros finished the deal in 2022, so that could have taken some juice out of last offseason. They slayed the dragon.
One thing is for sure, fans have to be happy this offseason with Jim Crane going over the competitive balance tax threshold by signing Josh Hader to a 5-year $95 million contract. Locking up Jose Altuve for the rest of his career certainly plays a role too.
Certainly this is a better look from ownership, as last season Crane fired GM James Click after the World Series and operated without a GM for much of the offseason. Rumors of Brad Ausmus or Jeff Bagwell becoming the next GM also had fans concerned.
Finally, having a true villain in the division could be drawing more interest with a legit rivalry between the Astros and now World Series champion Texas Rangers.
Or could it be something else?
Be sure to watch the video above as we share more thoughts on why the Astros have seen a spike in ticket sales for 2024 and much more!
Don't miss Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel.
Astros get big hits from Walker and Paredes to top Padres
Apr 20, 2025, 12:17 pm
Isaac Paredes hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning after Christian Walker's two-run homer in the sixth tied it up, leading the Houston Astros to a 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.
WALKER LASER. TIE GAME.#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/wvhvQ7EKIi
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 20, 2025
Paredes hit a bloop single to short center field with two outs off San Diego’s Jeremiah Estrada (0-1), who had allowed two hits in 10 1/3 innings before Saturday.
Walker, who was moved out of the cleanup spot for the first time after batting .159 through the first 19 games, homered on a 1-0 sweeper from Michael King with two outs, his second of the season.
Bryan Abreu worked a scoreless eighth inning and Josh Hader, on his bobblehead giveaway night, pitched a scoreless ninth and got former Padres teammate Yuli Gurriel to fly out to end the game. Tayler Scott (1-1) worked two innings of relief and earned the win.
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his seventh homer of the season in the third inning. Manny Machado helped add to an early lead when he followed a Tatis single and stolen base with an RBI double in the fifth inning for the Padres, who lost back-to-back games for the second time this season.
Outfielder Tirso Ornelas, who signed with the Padres in 2016, made his major league debut. The 25-year-old Ornelas was called up from Triple-A El Paso where he was hitting .281. His journey to Houston was almost as trying as his climb to the big leagues. He had two flights canceled, delaying his arrival, and was inserted as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and flied out.
Key Moment
Paredes’ RBI single in the seventh, which gave Houston the lead.
Key stat
Houston has consecutive wins for the first time this season after beating the Padres 6-4 on Friday.
Up next
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (1-2, 4.50 ERA) opposes RHP Dylan Cease (1-1, 6.64 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday.
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