National media just made another attempt to stir pot with Astros leadership
ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE
14 May 2024
Nothing moves the needle like negative Astros content for the national media. Composite Getty Image.
Well, that didn't take very long. Just two weeks ago, we had a similar discussion regarding comments about Astros leadership in a piece written by USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
Nightengale wrote about the Astros slow start out of the gate and how the loss of Dusty Baker was having a negative impact on the club.
He also said in the piece that “the Astros now are recognizing just how much they miss the future Hall of Famer.” We questioned at the time where this information was coming from, as there weren't any sources mentioned in the article.
Now, here we are two weeks later and Nightengale once again wrote about Espada's leadership. This time saying, “two prominent players have privately expressed complaints about Espada’s communication skills in recent weeks.”
At least he's telling us the complaints are coming from the players in his latest article. Two weeks ago we were left to wonder if this was something Nightengale believed, something he heard in passing, or if he was informed by a current or former member of the organization.
While it's nice to have a little more clarity this time around, it would be even better if whoever is complaining would put their name on it. But at the end of the day, does it really matter?
No one in the Astros clubhouse can be happy with how the season is going, and there's plenty of blame to go around. But one does have to wonder how Nightengale is getting this information. Our guess, it's coming from an agent, but that's all it is, a guess. We just find it hard to believe that two “prominent” members of the team are repeatedly reaching out to the media to complain about Espada.
Be sure to watch the video above as we examine who the moles could be in the clubhouse, what this means for Joe Espada and the team in the short and long term, and why the national media continues to focus on the Astros leadership.
Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan every Monday on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel! We'll continue to drop more episodes throughout the week.
Houston Astros start second half with spotlight squarely on them
Jul 18, 2025, 12:48 pm
The Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners return from the All-Star break with no time to ease in. Instead, the two top teams in the American League West jump straight into a three-game clash at T-Mobile Park that could shape the tone of the division race as the second half gets underway.
Houston enters the weekend at 56-40, holding a five-game edge over Seattle and holding off a division that refuses to go quietly. The Astros stumbled into the break with a 1-5 homestand, but their body of work across the first half, especially offensively, still makes them the standard in the West. Friday marks the eighth meeting between the clubs this year, with Houston currently holding a slight 4-3 edge in the season series.
The Astros hand the ball to lefty Brandon Walter (1-2, 3.98 ERA), a name that’s quietly become more relevant in a rotation still trying to stabilize. Walter has walked just two batters across his first 40 2/3 innings and carries a tidy 1.008 WHIP into Friday’s matchup. With the Astros still without Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, and Jake Meyers, they’ll need pitching to hold serve until reinforcements arrive, or deals are made.
The Mariners will counter with their ace, right-hander Luis Castillo (6-5, 3.41 ERA), who has been Seattle’s most consistent arm. Castillo has 93 strikeouts and has historically pitched well at home, where the Mariners are 25-21 this season. He’ll look to neutralize a Houston offense that, while banged up, is still dangerous, particularly when the ball leaves the yard. The Astros are 21-6 in games when they hit two or more home runs.
Jose Altuve has been on a tear, going 16-for-37 over his last 10 games with four homers and 14 RBIs. He’s part of an Astros lineup that ranks ninth in OPS and first in batting average on the year. Isaac Paredes continues to provide pop with a team-best 19 home runs, and the team as a whole is hitting .269 over its last 10 games. But pitching has wobbled a bit lately, posting a 4.60 ERA in that same span.
Seattle, meanwhile, comes in having won six of 10, outscoring opponents by 17 runs across that stretch. Cal Raleigh continues to be a force in the middle of the order with 38 home runs and 82 RBIs, while J.P. Crawford has quietly sparked the lineup with a .341 average and six RBIs in his last 10 contests. The Mariners are also getting healthier on the mound, and their rotation,once thin, is now a looming threat.
It’s only July, and the cliché says it’s just another series. But with the trade deadline two weeks away and the division gap sitting at five games, both teams understand what this weekend could mean. A Seattle sweep tightens the race dramatically. A Houston series win could widen the gap enough to change the calculus in the front office war rooms.
The stakes are high, the rosters aren’t at full strength, and the calendar is only getting shorter. That’s the recipe for a classic Astros-Mariners showdown.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Mariners -134, Astros +113; over/under is 7 1/2 runs
Here's an early look at the Astros lineup for Game 1!
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What stands out? Cam Smith is back in the two-spot with Christian Walker hitting cleanup. He's followed by DH Victor Caratini, Yainer Diaz (C), Taylor Trammell (CF), Mauricio Dubon (SS), and Brice Matthews at second base.
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