Through nine games, the Astros have shown flashes of the team fans hoped they’d be—but just as often, they’ve looked like a group still figuring things out. They’ve won two of their first three series, yet sit below .500 at 4-5, with inconsistency defining the early days of the season.

On some days, it’s the offense that carries them—like when Yordan Alvarez delivers a game-changing swing, or when Jose Altuve and Jake Meyers inject life into the basepaths. But even with moments like those, the lineup hasn’t clicked on all cylinders. Isaac Paredes’ four-hit day in the series finale against the Twins stood out, hopefully he's able to ride that momentum into a strong performance in the Mariners series.

Spencer Arrighetti had a tough outing against the Twins, struggling with command, hitting batters, and leaving a hanging curveball that was launched for a three-run homer. It was a reminder of how uncertain the back of the rotation remains. Framber Valdez, Ronel Blanco, and Arrighetti all pitched poorly in their second turns through the rotation, while Hunter Brown looked sharp in contrast.

The bullpen has been more stable. Bryan King, Bryan Abreu, and Josh Hader have been solid, and Rafael Montero turned in a promising performance in the finale in Minnesota. Logan VanWey is set to join the bullpen while Luis Contreras heads to Sugar Land, offering another fresh arm as the team looks to settle into a rhythm.

Offensively, questions linger. Catcher Yainer Diaz hasn’t gotten going at the plate yet—does he need more time to swing out of it, or should Victor Caratini see more starts behind the dish? And what to do about Cam Smith and Zach Dezenzo, who haven’t provided much production? Chas McCormick has been decent but not a spark, and the team may need to consider shuffling things to find more consistency.

Nine games in, it’s unclear exactly who the Astros are. The talent is there, the flashes are obvious—but until they string together complete performances more regularly, the 2025 Astros remain a team in search of its identity.

Hopefully Hayden Wesneski follows in Brown's footsteps and provides a quality start in his second time through the rotation.

We have so much more to cover. 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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