How Astros infield domino effect could pay dividends for revenge tour
BANK ON IT!
12 February 2024
The Houston Astros now how their middle infield set for the foreseeable future, with Jose Altuve locked up for six more years and Jeremy Pena under contract through 2027.
Jose Abreu is still under team control for another two seasons, and we all know Alex Bregman could be playing his last year in an Astros uniform.
And let's face it, even if Yainer Diaz doesn't take a step forward this season, there's no way he'll hit worse than Martin Maldonado. So as we examine the infield over the next few years, Jeremy Pena looks like the biggest question mark.
Will he continue to struggle with the bat like last season, or will he bounce back and regain the power he showcased in 2022? Pena is very tough to predict. He went from World Series MVP to a player that had to be pinch hit for in the ALCS last season.
Pena has been working on a new swing this offseason that he's excited to unleash in 2024. Which got us wondering, if he finds his power stroke again, is that enough to say that he had a bounce back season?
When looking at the numbers, the simple answer is yes. He improved his on-base percentage and batting average in 2023. If he can continue to build on that and get back to swatting over 20 homers a season, the Astros infield will be in good shape.
Plus, we all hope Jose Abreu can return to form as well. After a lackluster regular season, Abreu really got things going in the playoffs. Many believe rest was a big part of his postseason success.
If he gets off to a slow start, should the Astros consider platooning him from time to time to get the best version of Abreu?
While many people saw the Astros trade for Trey Cabbage as a left-handed bat that can play the outfield, there's another layer to his game.
Cabbage played over 50 games at first base in the minors last season. So he could be an option with some serious power that could fill in at first.
Finally, if the Astros do move on from Alex Bregman, could Mauricio Dubon be an option to take his place? Certainly he'll never be the hitter Bregman is, or walk nearly as much. But he could be a serviceable option while the Astros look for a permanent Bregman replacement.
Don't miss the video above as we break it all down.
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José Ramírez homered for a third straight game, Angel Martínez also went deep and the Cleveland Guardians got a 4-2 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.
It’s the first time the Guardians, who entered the series on a 10-game skid, have won three in a row since a four-game winning streak from May 21-24.
Slade Cecconi (4-4) allowed five hits and two runs with a career-best nine strikeouts in 7-plus innings for the win. Paul Sewald pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save.
Martínez homered for a second straight at-bat with his shot to the Crawford Boxes with one out in the first inning. His grand slam with two outs in the 10th inning Tuesday night lifted Cleveland to a 10-6 win.
Four pitches after Martinez’s homer Wednesday, Ramírez also connected off Brandon Walter (1-2) to make it 2-0. Walter settled in after that, retiring the next 17 batters, with seven strikeouts before Bennett Sousa took over to start the seventh.
Ramírez and Carlos Santana hit consecutive singles with no outs in the inning before David Fry walked to load the bases. Johnathan Rodríguez then singled to score two and extend the lead to 4-0.
The Astros had managed just four singles when Taylor Trammell walked with no outs in the eighth and scored on a double by Mauricio Dubón that cut the lead to 4-1. There were two outs in the inning when Jose Altuve’s RBI double made it 4-2.
The AL West-leading Astros went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position to cap this disappointing series which came after they swept the Dodgers in Los Angeles over the weekend.
Key moment
Martínez and Ramírez had back-to-back homers in the first.
Key stat
Ramírez, who dropped out of next week’s All-Star game Wednesday to rehab a nagging Achilles injury, has four homers and seven RBIs this month.
Up next
LHP Logan Allen (5-7, 4.07 ERA) will start for Cleveland in the opener of a four-game series against the Chicago White Sox Thursday night. The Astros are off Thursday and haven’t announced their rotation for their weekend series against the Rangers.
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